------------------ REEF AQUARIUM FARMING NEWS--- |--- REEF AQUARIUM CORAL FARMING SCHOOL------------------
1997 WINTER - SPRING NEWSLETTER

GEOTHERMAL AQUACULTURE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.


ZOANTHID AND PALYTHOA PROPAGATION PAGE

This page will teach you to propagate Zoanthids and Palythoa


This one year old 55 gallon reef aquarium has over 40 colors of Zoanthids and Palythoas. All of these colonies were started by gluing the starts onto the live rocks underwater.

The blue Zoanthid in the midle of this reef came from Mexico in 1995. It contrasts very well with the many shades of green and brown.

ORDER Zoanthiniaria [Zoantharia] [Zoanthidea]

(Encrusting anemones)

Family Epizanthidae

Parazoanthus (Yellow polyps)
Epizoanthis ( Brown to red brown colonial polyp disks - medium tentacles )

Family Zoanthidae

Zoanthus ( small colonial polyps - Green, Red, Brown, Blue, Purple, yellow and a range of other colors. Central disk may be contrasting color. Polyps connected at base)
Palythoa ( larger than Zoantus with longer brown tentacles. May be bright green in center)


Sea Mat rock - Green sea mat

Zoanthid anemones can be grafted onto new rocks several ways. The easiest way to get new sea mats is to place an actively growing Zoanthid colony so that the polyps touch the new base rock.

This cutting is growing on an acropora banch that came in with some live rock. The zoathids thrive when they are glued to the sps branches because the water flow can move all around them.

Another way to establish new colonies of sea mat is to remove several polyps and attach them to the base rock. We have been experimenting with a plastic 1/8" mesh net that lettuce is often sold in. The polyps are placed on the rock and the net is secured over it with two rubber bands. Two or more colors of Zoanthias can be attached to one rock.

An easy way to attach these small colonies is with a 1" square piece of base rock. The sea mat is placed on the base rock and the colony is held in place by the small rock attached with a rubber band.


SEA MAT ROCK PRODUCTION IN CLOSED SYSTEM


ZOANTHIDS - (PAYLTHOA, SEA MAT)

You can often combine species on the same piece. These reef plugs have Zoanthids and Gorgonians on them. The gorgonians will grow up away from the plug and the Zoantid will cover the plug.

Be sure you attach animals that can live together as they grow. Palythoa and Zoathids are two of the best species to group. We often find these two on the same rock in the ocean.

These small polyps are a good cutting to add to mixed species rocks. With the super glue we can glue individual polyps of several types to the base rocks.

Apply a small drop of thick glue to a prepared site.

Pick the polyp up with the tweezers, pat it dry, and place the base on the drop of glue.

Several colors will grow into a mixed colony. We add one or two of these polyps to most of our other rocks.

Put the Zoanthids on the end of live rock separated from other cuttings.


GROW OUT CONDITIONS FOR THESE SPECIES

1. ZOANTHID ANEMONES

These colonies of Zoanthids and Palythoa have now grown onto the pipe and valve in this picture. Over 1/2 of this pipe is now covered with several types of Zoanthids.

I will take a picture that I can include next time I update this page. The colonies can now be cut into many starts. The tank will need thinning often so we will have many colored Zoanthid reef plugs for the students to sell.

These anemones require bright light and strong current. Place these cuttings at the top of the reef aquarium. We have had the best growth in tanks with at least 5 watts per gallon of VHO lighting. Most of our production tanks have 3- 4 foot 40 watt bulbs - Two Tritons and one blue Moon.

2. PALYTYHOA

This Green Mexican Palythoa is growing on a piece of Idaho Aragonite. The polyps on this type of Palythoa can be cut off above the base and the heads can be glued or sewed onto a base. The stalks will grow another head in a few weeks.

The colony will spread onto rocks that are placed next to this group of Palythoa. This is an easy way to get more brood stock. We now have 6 colors of this palythoa that keep there colors under many conditions.

These anemones do best when they are fed several times each week. The food that has produced the best growth is made up of blended fish and shrimp meat that has been mixed in SeaChem Reef Plus This red mixture has vitamins and iodide. We use four tablespoons of Reef Complete to one tabespoon food.

3. PARAZOATHIDS

These polyps grow best if they are fed each day. You can feed these colonies by blending up the food and squirting it on the polyps.

SEA MAT PRODUCTION TANKS

1. The best tanks for production of plant rocks are shallow tanks with good water quality and high water flow.
We use 55 gallon tanks with three Maxi-Jet 1000 power heads. A Visi-jet skimmer is used in each tank.
This colony was grown with VHO lighting. Intense light and strong current are two of most important things needed to produce fast grownig Zoanthid colonies. The best colors we have been able to produce in these cuttings are seen in the tanks with several Triton and Blue Moon 40 watt lights.

Many of the larger Zoanthids can eat baby brine shrimp and other foods. These feedings will increase the growth rate of these animals.

2. The best lighting is florescent bulbs. We have had good production using 2- 40 watt 4' Triton and one 40 watt 4' Blue moon on our 55 gallon test tanks.



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INDEX OF OUR RESEARCH
ALGAE CONTROL CENTRAL
REEF JANITORS ALGAE CONTROL CENTRAL

Use this site to solve your reef aquarium algae problems, and help support our research!!!


JOIN THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION You can support our research and learn more about reef aquariums and wetlands
1997 WINTER - SPRING NEWSLETTER Our foundation is growing - Please visit our Newsletter
REEF AQUARIUM FARMING NEWS Newest information on reef aquarium farming


CORALLINE ALGAE PROPAGATION Learn to grow coralline algae on your reef aquarium live rocks
COMBINATION ROCK PROPAGATION Learn to grow combination reef aquarium live rocks
COMBINATION ROCK BASE ROCK SELECTION Learn about base rock for combination reef aquarium live rocks
COMBINATION ROCK SPECIES SELECTION Learn about selecting species for combination reef aquarium live rocks

LOW COST BULLET PROOF REEF AQUARIUM Learn to start an inexpensive reef aquarium
55 GALLON INSTA REEF Visit Rachel Read's 12 week old Bullet Proof Reef Aquarium
MORE PICTURES OF THIS REEF AQUARIUM


Geothermal Aquculture Research Foundation,Inc. online tour Learn why we call it Geothermal
GARF RESEARCH HOME PAGE Learn about the other research we are doing
Super glue research page We teach you the Super Glue method of invertebrate propagation
Super Glue evaluaton page Our researchers rate many brands of super glue
Geothermal Aquculture Research Foundation Feed Back page E-mail input so we can make these pages better
Natural Algae Control Reef Janitor Order Page - red leg hermits, snails, grunge.

NEW

Research page for Xenia and related soft coral propagation Learn to propagate xenia. Please enter any data you have about these corals.
Stony Coral Propagation Page Pictures and details of small polyp stony corals
Mushroom Anemone Propagation Page Pictures and details of mushroom propagation
Zoanthid and palythoa Anemone Propagation Page Pictures and details of Sea mat propagation
Learn to construct a 140 gallon plywood amd epoxy reef tank

Image Page for Zoanthids and Palythoa

WETLANDS SAVE THE WORLDS REEFS FROM ALGAE DESTRUCTION
LEARN ABOUT OUR WETLAND RESEARCH

Boise Wetland pond tour 97 Pictures and details of wildlife pond tour



CORAL MEDICAL RESEARCH - Reefs are important for medical research



Contact: LeRoy Headlee Sally Jo Headlee | Phone: 208-344-6163 | Fax: 208-344-6189
Email: leroy@garf.org

REEF AQUARIUM FARMING NEWS | REEF AQUARIUM CORAL FARMING SCHOOL | 1997 WINTER - SPRING NEWSLETTER | HOME