zooplankton vs phytoplankton

[dabadguyswon86]

is one better than the other?

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Yes and no, it depends. Do you know the difference between the two?

 

[beerfish]

The term zooplankton encompasses a lot of different critters.

Phytoplankton is an algae that is a food source for many small creatures, but there are also many different types of phyto.

Neither one is better, they serve different purposes.

 

[ryangrieder]

This is what I go by, I could be wrong, but in my eyes, phyto was for extreme filter feeders. Coco/feather dusters, clams, lots of sps, and others. Zoo I use to feed to larger eaters, like frags or smaller P's and z's, brains, ect. For the most part, most of my corals eat mysis like all my p's and z's, acans, brains, ect. I recently just started using the ESV dried phytoplankton. So far, to soon to tell...

 

[Arati]

zoo eats phyto but neither is needed in the average home aquarium.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

The best way to look at these is Zooplankton is "meat" and Phytoplankton is plant matter. Both contain organisms of varying sizes from a few microns up to clearly visible particles. Both are consumed by corals but most corals tend to either be carnivorous or herbivorous, so it's usually one type of plankton or the other. It also depends on the actual mouth size and the coral's ability to capture particles of a certain size. To sort of answer the question, it depends on what corals you are trying to feed.

SPS - tend to be carnivorous and consume smaller size plankton
LPS - tend to be carnivorous and some can accept rather large food items
Leathers - consume phytoplankton (for the most part)
Clams - also phytoplankton
Zoas and Palys - phytoplankton (but might accept smaller meaty foods if they can capture it)

There are more corals but that covers the common groups. There are exceptions in some but those are the guidelines.

 

[dabadguyswon86]

I appreciat the info. i purchased a bottle of each from dr foster. i have small frags as of now. 1 paly 1 zoo a bubble tip (not doing well). it will be the first time feeding them directly.

 

[Chongpark27]

I appreciat the info. i purchased a bottle of each from dr foster. i have small frags as of now. 1 paly 1 zoo a bubble tip (not doing well). it will be the first time feeding them directly.

Try feeding bta silversides