Some can contain a compound called palytoxin that is a very dangerous poison. On the far ends of the spectrum the two are easy to differentiate but once you get into large polyp Zoanthus variants and smaller polyp Palythoa variants, the naming convention breaks down at the hobbyist level.īefore we get into the care tips for zoas, I need to address the potential toxicity of these corals.
There are new classification insights as more genetic testing is being done, but for the purposes of this hobby-focused website, we've chosen to arbitrarily lump larger polyp individuals into Palythoa and smaller polyp specimens into Zoanthus.Īs a practical matter, there is some degree of fogginess you will encounter in this industry whether something is called a Zoanthus or a Palythoa because there is a wide range of physical variation within the genus. What was once 300 identified species has been whittled down to around 50-60 in the past several years depending on the criteria used to differentiate the different morphs. I expect quite a lot of reclassification to occur in this space.
#Eagle eye zoa code#
The genes themselves don’t change but the how the organism reads the genetic code in response to the environment does so you could see two very different traits in corals originate from an identical genetic sequence. Genetic research is further complicated by the effect the environment has on the expression of the genetic code. Over 90% of the coral’s genome is identical so a lot of current research is delving into that. There is a LOT of genetic consistency so it is a chore to find small segments of DNA that are actually different enough to base a scientific classification on. It is not nearly as straight forward as it may seem. There is quite a lot of active research on Zoanthid taxonomy and the cutting edge is DNA classification. You may have also heard zoanthus referred to as zoanthids which is correct, but if you want to be a stickler for details, the term zoanthids refers to all the corals in the order while zoanthus is specific to the genus.
#Eagle eye zoa manual#
Our tanks all progressed when we switched from 3 manual dosings per week to 70 automatic dosings per week and we got a lot more work done.Zoanthus are a genus of corals within the order Zoantharia, an order it shares with Palythoa and Parazoanthus. A dosing pump can alleviate the chore of manually dosing your aquarium with Ca, Alk, & Mg 2,3, or 4 times per week and will benefit your aquarium by keeping your levels constant through frequent small additions of Ca, Alk, & Mg. Vivid Aquariums uses and recommends dosing pumps to automate the dosing of additives and keep your levels more constant. Media Reactors make the most efficient use of your phosphate media by fluidizing it. It is important to replace your phosphate media when phosphates rise to. We recommend doing a water change when Nitrate levels rise to 10 ppm. Nitrates should be below 10 ppm and phosphates should be below. Raising magnesium levels gradually up to 1400-1600 ppm can help to combat algae outbreaks, just keep CA and Alk in line as you raise the Mg. Water Chemistry: It is important that proper calcium (420-440 ppm), alkalinity (8-9.5 dkh - run it 7-8 if you are carbon dosing), and magnesium levels (1260-1350 ppm) are maintained.
Lighting Requirements: Low to moderate (PAR 100-250)
We recommend a 14-20K color spectrum for best coloration. T5's, Metal Halides, or LED's can all grow Zoanthids and Palyhtoa when the proper PAR levels are provided. Lighting & Flow Requirements: Eagle Eye Zoanthids require moderate water flow and low to moderate lighting (PAR 100-250) to maintain their color. Target feeding gets the corals fed using less food while keeping your nitrates and phosphates lower. If you do not want them growing on your your main rock structure, try creating a Zoanthid island by mounting several types of Zoanthids and Palythoa to one larger rock and placing it as an island in your sand bed.įeeding: Although symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae hosted within them supply most of their nutritional requirements through photosynthesis, Eagle Eye Zoanthids do benefit from supplemental feedings of Oyster-Feast, Roti-Feast, cyclopeeze, & sometimes small bits of mini mysis. Placement: Mount the Eagle Eye Zoanthids using IC gel glue, or putty, on an exposed rock lower in the aquarium where they will receive direct flow and light. Zoanthids and Palythoa will grow and reproduce by budding. Eagle Eye Zoanthids are easy to keep and are a great choice for the beginner.
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