Need Recommendations: Fastest growing Zoas and Palys strains?

[Perpetual Novice]

I have been working on re-establishing my 13.5-gallon mantis Shrimp tank after it crashed a while ago from the death of my first mantis shrimp. The tank is designed to be low maintenance and tolerate high nutrients (impossible to avoid with the shrimp's bioload). The tank is up and running with a brand new peacock mantis shrimp and I'm now looking to add some corals that will thrive in this dirty water and use it to grow.

I want to cover the rocks with fast-growing polyps. Terrific color isn't essential. But I also don't need to cut any cost. So really just whatever strains have been found to multiply quickly are what I'm into.

So far I have ordered: Grandis paly, captain America palys, and purple deaths. I don't really know how fast those three grow but they were on my bucket list. Now I'm looking for many more that will also take over.

They definitely don't need to be palys. I like zoas even more. I've kept zoanthids in all my other tanks before but palys especially always make me uneasy when I'm working in the tanks so I've never kept any. I figure since I can't put my hands in the tank anyway because of the mantis shrimp this tank is the perfect opportunity.

All the corals I usually avoid because they are toxic or spread too fast are now on the table.

So please let me know your favorites and recommendations! and if you happen to know if a certain strain prefers more light or flow please let me know so I can place them accordingly.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Cell]

Pandoras zoas grow like weeds.

 

[Perpetual Novice]

green star polyps are going to grow on the back wall. and

Pandoras zoas grow like weeds.

pandoras: Check.

what else you got? shrooms and ricordia are welcome too if you know fast-growing variants.

 

[sde1500]

My Armor of Gods, Red Death's, and Smoldering Cauldrons grow the fastest for me.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

My bloodsuckers have grown faster than any coral I own

 

[nereefpat]

Radioactive dragon eyes and Eagle eyes are 'old school' zoas that grow fast.

 

[waterskiguy]

IMO, the best looking fast grower is probably the purple monster. They're cheap and readily available everywhere you look. From there, Nirvana are fast growers that look decent, Captain Jerks are definitely jerks when it comes to covering stuff up, if you don't want them to, but are not as colorful as some of the others you'll find. Pandora's grow like crazy, but aren't really colorful, unless they're being blasted with reef lighting. The do have a cool multiple color look to them though. All of these will thrive in just about any conditions.

 

[NanoDJS]

Crazy enough of all my zoas AOI grow the fastest but not cheap, then Pandora , RPE, Nirvana ,Gaia's

 

[Perpetual Novice]

Crazy enough of all my zoas AOI grow the fastest but not cheap, then Pandora , RPE, Nirvana ,Gaia's

no way! AOI is top of my list now. worth every penny. this tank is perfect to watch for growth. it sits on my nightstand so the glass is just a foot or two from my head when im sitting up in bed. Perfect for watching the mantis and for watching every bit of new coral growth.

 

[Perpetual Novice]

Crazy enough of all my zoas AOI grow the fastest but not cheap, then Pandora , RPE, Nirvana ,Gaia's

just hit up my local basement zoa dealer and he's selling them for 25$ a polyp. I'm grabbing some this week no question!

 

[Jman76]

I'd say Nirvanas and Dragon eyes for sure

 

[Tom Carr]

My nightmares are growing like weeds and look great. I see new polyps every couple days. You might want to put them on their own rock because they will take over.
You

 

[krash7172]

Not sure the ID on mine but they grow crazy. I've removed at least as much you see in my pics. Scrape the overflow every few months.

 

[nkyreef]

Agree with the Nirvana's. I'll also add Sunny D's to the list. They were becoming overgrown in my tank and i had to isolate them on a rock by themselves.

 

[fish farmer]

Not sure the ID on mine but they grow crazy. I've removed at least as much you see in my pics. Scrape the overflow every few months.

View attachment 1441766 View attachment 1441767 View attachment 1441768

I think those are called texas trash palys...don't give them light...unless you want them to grow! Mine are overtaking the other fast grower, green dragon eye zoas.

For mushrooms...green striped.

 

[saltyhog]

Whammin watermelons, Nuclear Death palys, Fruit Loops zoas.

Nuclear death on the left.

Fruit Loops

 

[Perpetual Novice]

my list is getting long ahaha. Got a quote from my guy on nirvanas. 3$ a polyp... so thats definitely coming home with me.

 

[krash7172]

I think those are called texas trash palys...don't give them light...unless you want them to grow! Mine are overtaking the other fast grower, green dragon eye zoas.

For mushrooms...green striped.

Lol. OP said fast growing: )

 

[Dolelo96]

My WWC AOI’s @ Space Monsters grow like weeds in my tank

 

[krash7172]

One man's (Texas) trash is another man's treasure. I seriously gotta figure out a plan to control this stuff