Over the years, I have certainly experimented with a variety of foods for zooanthids. Using pipettes and turkey basters I would gently shoot a small cloud of over the colonies. While some tentacles would appear to grasp the food particles and wind inward toward the mouth, it was never perfectly clear whether it was a reaction to the stream or actual feeding. In the case with the large polyp Palythoa and Protopalythoa feeding is much more obvious.
My most impressive Protopalythoa
Soft shrimp pellets for example are taken readily and you can see in a period of a few minutes the tentacles grasping the food bits and closing in around the mouth and oral disk. Upon completion of my dedicated system I plan to study the direct feeding and growth rates of Palythoa, Zooanthids comparing two identical colonies one being fed directly and one not. Until now I have witness slow to moderate growth at best in comparison to other polyps. Zooanthids on the other hand will flourish quickly with some intervention. While I’m yet to find if direct feeding can make an impact in some of the color morphs I have more trouble growing, I can say with confidence that keeping the nutrient load high in the aquarium expedites reproduction of Zooanthids naturally. From my observations in the case of most polyps, heavy feeding of fish seem to create a more conducive environment than any attempt at direct attempts thus far.
In a reef aquarium setting high nutrient loads are not ideal, even if there were no repercussions a live coral such as the Zooanthids would simply over grow the tank. So use good judgment and if you come across a very interesting morph of Zooanthids or Palythoa that you would perhaps like to aquaculture I'd suggest setting up a separate system to do just that. A culturing vat need not be complicated, just the basics. A specialized system will reward your efforts and put less strain on your tank. What ever you decide, enjoy what you are doing and the opportunity you have to experiment.
3 Jul 2008 at 5:20pm
Just like Jimmy Buffet sings, you've got "Sharks to the left, sharks to the right" but you're safe inside a 100-foot long, clear tunnel that cuts through more than 6 million gallons of 30-feet deep saltwater, home to sharp-toothed sharks, schools ...
30 Jun 2008 at 3:14am
Cheap buffets. 99-cent shrimp cocktails. Single-deck blackjack. The list of endangered species in Las Vegas just got longer: A Komodo dragon has arrived at the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
2 Jul 2008 at 3:59pm
I used to wonder why anyone would dine in expensive themed chain restaurants like Aquarium, which teems with families shelling out for mediocre chicken ?ngers and souvenir plush toys. Then I had kids of my own.
3 Jul 2008 at 7:21pm
Danny seemed startled, but held her gaze. Kayla held her breath, but didn't dare look away.
mouth and oral disk. Upon completion of my dedicated system I plan to study the direct feeding and growth rates of Palythoa, Zooanthids comparing two identical colonies one being fed directly and one not. Until now I have witness slow to moderate growth at best in comparison to other polyps. Zooanthids on the other hand will flourish quickly with some intervention. While I’m yet to find if direct feeding can make an impact in some of the color morphs I have more trouble growing, I can say with confidence that keeping the nutrient load high in the aquarium expedites reproduction of Zooanthids naturally. From my observations in the case of most polyps, heavy feeding of fish seem to create a more conducive environment than any attempt at direct attempts thus far. 
