zoo placement

[sompa]

I have a frag of mini green/green zoo that I had placed at the bottom of my tank. They have been doing fine but have not been multiplying/growing. I just recently moved them up to the top of tank and now I notice that red or brown substance coming out of there mouths or center. Is this bad? Should I move them back down or does this mean they are getting more light and need to get rid of more waste? I have a 96wt 10k/96wt actinic and a 30wt no actinic. I really don't want to kill them and don't know if being this close to the lights are hurting them. Any help with placement would be great. Thanks

 

[danmhippo]

how big is the tank and how far are the lights from the frag?

 

[fungia]

its weird, in my old tank they grew like crazy and i couldnt stop them. in my new tank, they wont grow at all. but people tell me this is a good thing it might be a matter of time, but maybe the lights make a difference (i had pc and now mh).

 

[Anonymous]

I think zoos are funny. Put them in the right spot, they go nuts. Right next to that spot, and nothing.

Experimentation with placement is what I've always done.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

answers over a CF too sompa.

FWIW I have zoos all over the place in my cube. high in the tank and low, and on the sand bed. I think it's really a zoa by zoa preference as to what makes them happy.

(expelled their zoanthelle BTW)

 

[J.Howard]

Agree, w/ SugarMag. I have the exact same species of zoas in the shade on the bottom, right under the MH lamps, and everywhere in between. Thats in 2 different tanks BTW. Your zoas reaction could be adjusting to the light or possible current difference. (most likely light). Keep an eye on them and adjust position or lighting period as needed. GL

 

[Blueasher]

I also agree with SugarMag. I got two zoa frags about the same size this summer. I placed both frags in about the same location in my tank, with the same flow and lighting strength but I received varying results. One frag too off like crazy, in fact its growing so fast that I am beginning to get concerned about what it is going to take over. However, the other frag has done nothing. It refused to attach itself to the rock no matter what I do to try to make it happy and to this day the second frag has not multiplied or attached although the first frag has gotten a little out of control. 8O In sum, I think zoas are just temperamental.

 

[sompa]

thank you for all your time and wisdom!!!!!!

 

[SnowManSnow]

Here is a possible explaination of the stringy stuff you observed.

Some times, if you observe somthing like you described coming from a coral's mouth, it is actually the thing getting rid of zooxanthelea (spelling) algae. Normally this happens, as others have said, after a shift of lighting. There are a couple of zoox. algaes and the coral is dispelling the ones that will perish under the different light. It should replace the algae with a strand that will do better under the new lighting. Iodide traces will aid in this process, similar to a coral recovering from mild bleaching.

Have a good one!