Do zoas need sand to grow?

[calypsos15]

Hello! My first post! I've read that corals need some sort of substrate (i.e. calcium for SPS) to build up their bodies to grow, so do zoas & palys need sand to grow? Without sand in the tank, can zoas still grow?

On a serious note, will a zoa patch with no where else to grow wind up going insane and blow up?

 

[Kathy Floyd]

I have zoa's on rock and sand. Mine do better on rock.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello! My first post! I've read that corals need some sort of substrate (i.e. calcium for SPS) to build up their bodies to grow, so do zoas & palys need sand to grow? Without sand in the tank, can zoas still grow?

On a serious note, will a zoa patch with no where else to grow wind up going insane and blow up?

They don't seem to care in my experience.

 

[FreshSaltH2o]

I have many types of zoas and I run bare bottom

 

[Roatan Reef]

I have zoa's on rock and sand. Mine do better on rock.

My zoa garden loves the rock also!

 

[calypsos15]

Sweet! Thanks a lot for your replies, guys, i was going to add a bit of sand but i guess i don't need to. I only have gravel and big rocks in the tank.

 

[footgal]

Hello! My first post! I've read that corals need some sort of substrate (i.e. calcium for SPS) to build up their bodies to grow, so do zoas & palys need sand to grow? Without sand in the tank, can zoas still grow?

On a serious note, will a zoa patch with no where else to grow wind up going insane and blow up?

First, welcome to the reef!

Zoas and palys will both grow on whatever surface is available glass, rock, sand, dead coral skeletons, concrete skulls… anything! Palys will sometimes glue very fine grains of sand to their stems which is a good way to ID a paly from a zoa.

There is pretty much no way to trap a zoa patch with nowhere else to go. It will outgrow other corals and smother them or be killed trying. This often leads to the release of palytoxin which in large quantities can be harmful (IME, this has never happened).

I do recommend growing them on crushed coral or live rock rubble so they are easy to frag if you’re going for a natural look. If you’re not, directly on the bottom glass has worked out magnificently for me. Removal/colony maintenance is very easy and it looks great.

Happy reefing!!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!! and zoas can grow just about anywhere. A lot of people will have their rocks decorated with them or spread around their sand or bottom part of the tank. All depends on where you want them to grow!

 

[kukawskim80]

Hello! My first post! I've read that corals need some sort of substrate (i.e. calcium for SPS) to build up their bodies to grow, so do zoas & palys need sand to grow? Without sand in the tank, can zoas still grow?

On a serious note, will a zoa patch with no where else to grow wind up going insane and blow up?

Nope! Just give they some light and good water parameters, then watch them grow

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

i dont think zoas can even attach themselves on sands