Zoanthids in their natural habitat

[Jone]

Heres something to get your zoa obsessed taste buds watering,,a good read and a bueatiful picture slide show of zoas in the ocean..
curious as to why most if not all colonies are silted in with sand..love to hear opinions.
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cnidaria/others/zoanthid/zoanthus.htm

[MUCHO REEF]

I've seen this article before. To answer your question, zoanthids, palythoas, proto palythoas and epizoanthids are found in diverse regions, conditions and locations. They take up silt, sand and sediment to make them more rigid to withstand current and to help remain erect. They will even attach themselves to sand and migrate across it.

What did you gain from reading this article? And thanks for sharing it.

MUCHO REEF

[MUCHO REEF]

To be even more specific, this particular region is most likely silty and sandy which would answer your question. I can post tons of pictures and links of rocky regions, coarse substrats, coral rubble and seagrass as mentioned in your link above where you would find them proliferating. They can literally carpet any surface. I hope this helps.

MUCHO REEF

[Jone]

Hello, I have gotten alot of info from this one article ,,plus the pictures say a million words per the habitat these zoas are in and thriving..
Makes me question current normal methods and thinking on keeping zoas/palys, let alone living/surviving and especially thriving in our captive reef aquariums.
First,,the Inter Tidal conditions zoas/palys experience on a daily basis,,Is this something that is nesessary to provide an open to the air fuction in their lives? possibly to ward off elgae or fungus from starting ?
How or if we should replicate it some how ?
Secondary,,the thinking of they need for say "Dirtier/High Nutrient enviroments..
As per the article,,some confusion or uncertainty zoas actually feed on particulate foods also bacterial.
Leaves me to question if zoas/palys need food in the dissolved nutrients/Bacteria in the water or actual particulate foods?
Which one form food or both is best.Plus the "Bacteria" topic.
Third,,Seems zoas come from alot of different locations around the world,,with many variables..
Water cleanliness,light intensity,light duration,flow of water(constant directional flow or crashing wave turbulant non directional flow)
Fourth ,,from the article pictures seems the colonies are filled with sand and sediment,,Is this a enviroment which protects/supports the polyps in the waters current/flow,,ward of algae and allowing the growing exspanding zoa membrane to be protected by these sand/sedimates..

..

[reefwiser]

I think it is funny that they say this.
Button zoanthids are not listed among the threatened animals of Singapore. However, like other animals harvested for the live aquarium trade, most die before they can reach the retailers. Without professional care, most die soon after they are sold. Those that do survive are unlikely to breed successfully. Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Trampling by careless visitors, and poaching by hobbyists also have an impact on local populations.

When Zoa's are the most commonly traded frag coral.:)