I don't understand zoas, can someone explain their view on them?

[TheDragonsReef]

Palytoxin is a non issue as long as your not ingesting the slime they produce. Ive been handling them for a long time without issues and just wash my hands after. That said zoas come in every color of the rainbow and are hardier than most corals. So they bring some great colors to the aquarium without as much worry for them dying.

 

[Sharkbait19]

They’re just really nice looking!
The toxin is a danger, but not as bad as it sounds. Usually you have to do something really stupid to have a big problem.
My like for zoas is that they are really cheap (at least the common ones are) but very colorful, unlike a lot of low price corals. You can often raid your lfs’s 10-20 dollar bin and get much more color compared to getting a single colorful lps or sps for the same price.

 

[Rtaylor]

They are the essentially the flowers of the ocean. You can relatively easily and inexpensively create a garden that suites your tastes. Most zoas contain little to no palytoxin. Palythoas need to be handled with more care, but risks are still easily mitigated with proper PPE.

 

[SlugSnorter]

okay, i understand, but what separates a zoa spreading from something like a kenya tree spreading? why is one a pest and the other enjoyed? ( I don't mean to say zoas are bad, im just looking for some perspectives, thanks for all the responses so far everyone!)

 

[Sharkbait19]

okay, i understand, but what separates a zoa spreading from something like a kenya tree spreading? why is one a pest and the other enjoyed? ( I don't mean to say zoas are bad, im just looking for some perspectives, thanks for all the responses so far everyone!)

Kinda the same in a way. Just zoas can be more of a pain to remove. They carpet, while Kenya will put new frags all over. Zoa spreading is like gsp or Xenia, but not as extreme.
They can overrun other corals, some captain jerk palys I had took out a trumpet, so that is a concern.

 

[mdb_talon]

okay, i understand, but what separates a zoa spreading from something like a kenya tree spreading? why is one a pest and the other enjoyed? ( I don't mean to say zoas are bad, im just looking for some perspectives, thanks for all the responses so far everyone!)

One difference is how the spread. You wont just find the zoas randomly popping up all over your tank. Most(not all)dont grow nearly as fast as kenya trees and are easily contained.

Biggest difference is desire to have them i guess. Again personal preference but i dont want a tank full of kenya tress but find a tank full of zoas of different varieties beautiful.

 

[littlebigreef]

okay, i understand, but what separates a zoa spreading from something like a kenya tree spreading? why is one a pest and the other enjoyed? ( I don't mean to say zoas are bad, im just looking for some perspectives, thanks for all the responses so far everyone!)

A kenya tree (which isn't terribly colorful) drops buds which will work their way to the 4 corners of you aquarium. Zoas, unless manually separated from the rock, will mat/encrust out, from where you place them. And they're colorful.

 

[Tamberav]

I hear they can grow pretty fast, and have palytoxin. I don't understand why they are super popular given those facts, But im perfectly willing (and wanting) to hear some else view on the matter

(Please don't get SALTY (pun intended) this is just my view, I never said it was a fact or you need to think the same way)

Most don't have palytoxin and fast growth means they make $$. The colorful wanted varieties are not really that invasive since they tend to just bud off the mother colony.

They also look crazy beautiful when placed next to each other due to contrasting colors.

 

[Rtaylor]

okay, i understand, but what separates a zoa spreading from something like a kenya tree spreading? why is one a pest and the other enjoyed? ( I don't mean to say zoas are bad, im just looking for some perspectives, thanks for all the responses so far everyone!)

A lot of people love Kenya trees as well and don’t consider them a pest.

 

[hhaase]

A lot of people love Kenya trees as well and don’t consider them a pest.

Fun fact..... I can't get kenya trees to grow at all. I've had one in my tank for over a year now, and it's the same size as when I put it in.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Toxins are affiliated with poor handling in most cases.
Why zoa - Simply COLOR(s)

Like a bag of jelly beans

 

[James_O]

I hear they can grow pretty fast, and have palytoxin. I don't understand why they are super popular given those facts, But im perfectly willing (and wanting) to hear some else view on the matter

(Please don't get SALTY (pun intended) this is just my view, I never said it was a fact or you need to think the same way)

Because they are absolutely stunning.

 

[Lyss]

I was interested in this thread b/c I’ve kinda felt the same way. When I started my reef I decided not to have zoas b/c I didn’t want to deal w/the potential of palytoxin. Then I ordered some other corals and the vendor sent me a ”freebie” that was, of course, a zoa. I was like oh no.

TBH I love them now — one head grew to three in a couple months (they grow at just the right rate for me — enough to fill in a space but not way outgrow other stuff in the tank), and they’re one of my brightest, prettiest, and easiest corals to care for. Aside from leathers and micromussa lords, they do the best and roll w/the punches in my tank well.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I was interested in this thread b/c I’ve kinda felt the same way. When I started my reef I decided not to have zoas b/c I didn’t want to deal w/the potential of palytoxin. Then I ordered some other corals and the vendor sent me a ”freebie” that was, of course, a zoa. I was like oh no.

TBH I love them now — one head grew to three in a couple months (they grow at just the right rate for me — enough to fill in a space but not way outgrow other stuff in the tank), and they’re one of my brightest, prettiest, and easiest corals to care for. Aside from leathers and micromussa lords, they do the best and roll w/the punches in my tank well.

Maybe thats how i'd get into zoa keeping, thanks

 

[mfinn]

Tough to pass up the easy care and usually good growth, and awesome color.
I've been keeping zoanthids for 30+ years and never once have I had any issue with paly toxin.
I've fragged them hundreds of times, usually without gloves ( but I do advise people to wear gloves), but always with eye protection.
Personally I think it's way over blown.
A little common sense is needed for keeping them.

 

[MikesMach1]

There affordable,and a great starter coral

 

[PranK]

A little bit of misinformation in here re palytoxin - its definitely not limited to ingestion.

I spent a week in hospital, with the scars to prove it, after I leant on some paly's (breaking some of them and causing slime) in my tank on a part of my arm that had an open wound (tiny, tiny wound, but still broken skin). Had paly's for 10 years before that and have had them for 10 years post and this was the only problem.

Note that after this I did vow to never have palys and spent years removing them as I saw them. In the end I had a tank crash which nuked everything and now I'm rebuilding with fresh, dry rock so as to not introduce any hitchhikers like this.

BTW, I love Zoa's but didn't keep them because of their invasiveness. But, I have recently added some zoa's to a solitary rock on my sand. I really like the idea of a zoa garden that is isolated from the rest of the rock.

 

[Uzidaisies]

One difference is how the spread. You wont just find the zoas randomly popping up all over your tank. Most(not all)dont grow nearly as fast as kenya trees and are easily contained.

Biggest difference is desire to have them i guess. Again personal preference but i dont want a tank full of kenya tress but find a tank full of zoas of different varieties beautiful.

Not until you lose a little cluster of polyps and they show up on a rock a month later. They weren’t attached though so they floated off somewhere again haha.

 

[Blumy]

Used all the precautions and still wound up getting Palytoxin in my eye. Melted a hole right through it. Had to have an emergency cornea transplant to save the eye. Hard pass on those. SPS only now.

 

[Billldg]

@zoa what

Zoa what is a Zoa fanatic...LOL!!!