Hi guys i'm new to this TR and new to this awesome hobby.

I love zoanthids and i've been seeing a lot of different colored one. I've been searching high a low for a good source of information on how to achieve these colors. So far this is the best forum i've seen. Can anyone explain to me how to get different colored zoos. What should I feed them and how. I'm looking for as much info on this as i can get. Thanks in advance.

Aaron

check out this site, it might help you. i think that the coloration has to do with the bulbs they are under.

ZoaID.com! :: The definitive repository for named Zoanthids! (http://www.zoaid.com/)

I'm not sure that's a 100% accurate answer, iReef.

The answer is really twofold.

First, the coloration of zoanthinds is a natural thing. There seems to be a nearly infinite combination of different colored zoas (zoos) out there. Chances are the fancier the color, the more expensive they are. Right now I am eyeing some gorgeous red and blue "spiderman" zoas that run $25 PER POLYP. (Holy frick!)

But from there, iReef could not be more correct. To make the most exquisite zoas color really pop, you need the right lighting. As an example, I have been growing eagle eyes for about 6 months. Take away the actinic colors, and they really kinda look like crap, especially for the price.

So... what he said! (and more.)

wow good info from both of you. just what i needed to hear. What about temperature?

you are absoluetly right Jeff. i should have been more detailed in my reply to this post. there ARE some VERY nice colorations of Zoanthids out there for us to keep in our tanks.

in coloration IN our tanks bulbs play a huge part. a friend of mine (ellisz on some of the TRL shows) has some VERY nice Zoanthids in his SPS dominated tank. he thinks some of them look like crap under his MH bulbs, but they look GREAT under my MH bulbs. he runs 250w Reeflux and i run 250w XM. his are running on e-ballasts, mine are on m-ballasts. so it really does have a lot to do with the lighting they are under. (i think his Zoanthids look great). his SPS colors blow mine out of the water (pun intended), and mine look really good. lol

temps should be in normal range of 77 - 81 degrees F.

hope to see you guys tonight on the show !!

yep - temps the same as everything else in you aquarium, about 80 F

ScubaBosh, :welcome: to TR.

I'd like to add to what Bobby and Jeff have said. I had some zoas that looked OK under my PC lights. Then I got a Solaris. WOW! What a difference the stronger light made. They kept their same basic color, orange/brown, but the bodies of some have turned a deep dark green color. I think that probably the deep green had faded because of shipping stress and then being kept under lower intensity lighting.

Some of my zoas will take pretty large foods like mysis and others never seem to eat. I feed a variety of foods so presumably everybody gets what they need.

ScubsBosh,

Welcome to TR, the BEST forum on the Net for reefers!!!

There are many different colors of Zoas. Few, if any, are manipulated by the hand of man. Lighting is another story. The kind and intensity of lighting will have an effect on how your Zoas look to your eye. Generally, lighting will not effect their color but, too intense of lighting may keep them from opening completely.

Here is a link to a Zoa forum that I like - Club-Zoa (http://www.club-zoa.com/)

But you have to promise to come back here.

Dick