Blue Zoanthids
I wanted to put together a special section on this site, outside of the original article that was geared towards both Blue and Pink Zoanthids. Working with Blue Zoanthids since the mid 90's I can tell you from my vast experience, that keeping Pink Zoanthids and or Blue Zoanthids is by far, more challenging than the rest of the colors that appear in nature. Before I begin, I am making a generalization with regard to Blue and Pink Zoanthids, and that is the physical appearance of the specimen you will be working with if you are having the same difficulties maintaining the blue color or just the health of the pink colony.
Blue Zoanthids, for the most part come from the Pacific region, although they are imported from the Caribbean as well. I can tell you for certain both of these blue zoanthids have their own specific needs. Blue Zoanthids from the Pacific do not fare as well during propagation as the Caribbean counterparts. I have propagated Blue zoanthids from a colony isolating one or two in a patch from the Caribbean while in an extremely high percentage of the Blue Zoanthids from the Pacific have become infected with this aggressive fragmentation. I would suggest Blue Zoanthids from the Pacific to be propagated in small starters of no less than 20 polyps, you will find to have a far better success rate.
Another unique observation i have witnessed first hand is that Blue Zoanthids from the Caribbean tend to tolerate high Salinity less than Blue Zoanthids from the Pacific. This became so apparent as time elapsed that I eventually separated a system out for just Caribbean Zoanthids, the higher salinity had the same affect on all color morphs in that they slowly would expand their tentacles less and less. The colony, one polyp at a time usually began to shrink and eventually dissolve away. To test this theory I would isolate two equal section of a blue zoanthid colony and put one half in the Pacific zoanthid culture system and the other in the Caribbean zoanthid culture system. After several months I was certainly convinced the decision I had mad was leading to not only preservation of the blue zoanthds in captivity but in addition quicker growth rates.
The final issue regarding the husbandry of blue zoanthids is aquarium lighting. My only answer at this junction as I have not witnesses any consistency in a colony of blue zoanthids holding color under any specific lighting consideration. I have kept blue zoos under, VHO, PC, MH, MH& PC, & HO hardware, I have experimented with almost every bulb configuration you could imagine. I can say for certain Pacific Blue Zoanthids tend to have trouble holding the intense blue coloration under bright light, and set ups lacking strong blue wavelength. Caribbean blue zoanthids on the other hand tend to brighten up as you increase the intensity of the lighting system. In conclusion the Caribbean blue zoanthids are much less difficult to keep but lack the intensity of the Pacific. Pink Zoanthids
Pink Zoanthids mostly are imported from the Pacific, however I have several morphs from the Caribbean, I say say they act fairly the same as blue zoanthus with regard to lighting. Pink Caribbean zoanthids are far more forgiving than the Pacific counterparts with respect to lighting intensity, and more importantly currently. The tightly compact pink Pacific zoanthids require and immense amount of current to prevent infection and the dreaded white cotton that can actually manifest in a colony at any period. Pink zoanthids are much less cumbersome when it comes to adjusting for lighting situations and retain color a much more easier than blue zoanthids. I had within a year resorted to Tunze Stream pumps to produce an adequate amount of current to sustain health and continue captive growth and propagation of the Pacific pink zoanthids.
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