Easy is relative I guess...Zoas are my bane...

I've been trying to keep zoas ever since I've gotten my 40B up and running (about 5 months now), but have had little luck. I've got one set of eagle eye zoas that are doing well, but only grows about a polyp per month. Every other zoa frag I've put in seems to just melt away.

Now here's the kicker. Every other coral SPS, LPS, and softies are doing great. I'm just not sure why I can't seem to keep zoas alive.

Anyone else have issues keeping zoas, or is it just me? Does anyone have tips or tricks of the trade for ensuring healthy zoas?

 

I know this its redundant but what are your parameters, lighting, ro/di the usual.

It its what it is and how it should be.

 

I was never really able to keep zoas either. I was able to keep one very plain type barely(they didnt open all the way it seemed and didnt really spread that fast) but others just slowly died. I had zero nitrates ammonia and nitrites and seemingly very low phosphates too.

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When I was new to the hobby I had trouble with zoas, now I consider them almost pest like. I've found light acclimation is important. Also, keeping salinity up is very helpful. Often it turns out to be a disease or predator though. These are some common ones to look for CoralPedia.com :: Zoanthid Predators, Irritators, & Diseases

 

My zoas did so-so under my power compacts (had them in a JBJ 12 about 4" from the surface). I've since switched them to a 27 cube with 3 double bright LED strips, and in what I would consider moderate lighting at best, are doing awesome at the bottom of the tank. They are sunrise oranges - ugly in daylight, buy they are sweet under the blue LEDs. I am running my salinity at 25 and all parameters are at 0.

 

I have heard many people say they cant keep zoas. And usually it is folks with years of experience and have total success with SPS. I think it's a nutrient issue or the lack there of is a better way to put it. If it's a new tank, it might need to mature a little more.

 

I honestly don't know if you will get an answer.

When I started I had one colony of zoas that was melting away. Never had the issue with any of the other types of zoas. No matter what I did, that one colony/type never did well and eventually melted and disappeared. Every other zoa and paly has done great.

Recently had to run some chemiclean because of cyano. All the coral did fine, the monti's, the lps, the zoas, and most of the mushrooms did fine. Only my red mushrooms went all funny and died, my purple mushrooms suffered, and the rest of the colors of mushroom were just fine.

I'd say just try a cheap zoa frag now and again.

 

Almost 2yrs into running my 8g and couldn't keep a zoa alive-smaller tank I was told need 2x weekly WC. Then I upgraded to my 26g and t5ho lighting. WC 1xmonthly and my zoas grow like crazy!! I think my water in the 8g was just to clean