ZOA change in 5 weeks with pic!!

[Nathan4Wvu]

Ok i got these from my tank at home to my tank here at school about 5 weeks ago i can't belive the change its amazing.
They went from a 46 bow front with 2 175 watt mh 10k xm's ~6 wpg

To a 29 with 250watt mh 2 65 watt pc's that about ~14 watts per gallon 10k

5 weeks ago
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/schscountry/New%2029%20Gallon%20Tank/100_0558.jpg

Today
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/schscountry/100_0610.jpg

Tell me what ya think

[crzy4reefs]

i've had zoas do that, it depends on the placement and lighting.

[john76]

Honestly... looks like they are bleaching.. might wanna move them down

[Nathan4Wvu]

I don't think so they are growing like crazy!

[JGoslee]

I think the high light has washed some of the colors out.

[Angela Short]

I like the way they look in the first shot better. JMO. Yea, light makes a big differance in the colors of my corals.

[gemxsps]

kind of bleaching.. But not affect growth.

[cardgenius]

The light color and longer skirts usually mean too much light.

[Mr. Ugly]

250w 10k MH? I had that on my 72.

I'd put a zoa like that at the bottom of my tank and even consider slightly shading it!

[Jaime_309]

i think thats 2 much light for them...

[jreimer]

Wow that is cool - does any one else out there have pics? Would love to see more, this could be my next experiment!!

cheers,
j.

[Reef Junkie]

I agree, too much light. They are bleaching.
Lower them and remove any carbon in the system for at least a few weeks.
If you run any water stripping media afterwards (like carbon) do it conservatively.
Also, you say this is in a classroom, hows the temperature in the tank? Any idea if it's getting hot at night when they turn off the airconditioning?

[Nathan4Wvu]

I have not run carbon on the tank for about 4 weeks. Also the temp never changes more then +-1.5 degrees i keep the ac on all the time so it stays a steady 72 in the house.

[Reef Junkie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7815128#post7815128 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nathan4Wvu
Ok i got these from my tank at home to my tank here at school about 5 weeks ago i can't belive the change its amazing.



Tell me what ya think

So, are they at your house or school?:confused:

Trying to help here Nate. I know you're excited that they changed color, but a few of us quickly spotted that they did this for a reason and not a good one.

High Temperature (or fluctuations in temp) is the number one cause of coral bleaching.

Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank, fyi.

[Nathan4Wvu]

Yea i know nothing good happpes FAST lol

They are in my house in morgantown 175 miles from my home in charleston im in college


Temp about 77-78

[corey0613]

definately look better in the first pic!

[jreimer]

Hmmm.... bleaching?

Not so sure if they are bleaching, they may simply be adjusting to different light levels. There have been some reports of this in a few journals, where corals transplanted to different depths showed changes in coral.

Maybe different in tanks, but Zoanthus bleaching I have seen results in seriously white areas on polyps. These pics look like the polyps are changing into a pinkish morphotype. Wonder if zoox densities are less? Would be cool to see...

Are these polyps still growing and expanding? Are they being fed at all?

cheers, j.

[chrisstie]

I'm curious to know what kind of lighting these little guys were in before you purchased them? Many corals can "color up" and change depending on store lighting versus your own but this seems.. drastic?

[Nathan4Wvu]

I got them off a local club member about 8 months ago they were a frag off his big colony in his 210 sps reef they looked alot like the first pic then they were in my reef tank in charleston 46 bow front for about 6 months under 2-175 mh lights and about 6 weeks ago i moved then to my college apartment where they are in a 29 gallon with 250watts of mh and 130 watts of pc.

The only feeding they get is when they catch bring shrimp floating by during feeding time. This colony is growing 2 times as fast as they did in charleston and they have doubled there size almost in the 6 weeks they have been in this tank

[Reef Junkie]

Well, good luck with them.;)

For those of you new to this, zoanthids typically do not change color in 5 weeks like this. If they do, it is because of high temps, light or both.

It could be a good thing in the long run, but most (positive) changes happen after the 6 month mark. That is when some zoanthids can amaze even veteran keepers.

Cheers.