• Name:

    Aussie Blues Zoas

    (View AKA's)
  • Family: Zoanthidae
  • Species: Zoanthid
  • Scientific Name: Zoanthus sp
More Details

Also Know As:

| Sea Mat

| Button Polyps

| Colonial Anemones

General info about Aussie Blues Zoas

Zoanthids feature a hard exoskeleton and is considered one of the most durable inhabitants in a reef aquarium making them the perfect piece for newbie aquarist. Their appearance resembles like a cluster of miniature sea anemones that often creates a hard matting appearance. While they look similar with sea anemones, Zoanthids are generally smaller with an oral disc measuring only from 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter.
 
For the Aussie Blues Zoas, they are predominantly colored blue with yellow polyps. This are the water paramaters in cultivating Aussie Blues Zoas:
  • Calcium: 380 - 430 ppm
  • Alkalinity: 3.2 - 4.5 MEQ/L
  • Phosphates: 0
  • Magnesium: 1250 - 1300 ppm
  • Strontium: 8 - 10
  • Temperature: 72° - 82° F (22° - 27° C)
  • Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025

Aussie Blues Zoas Diet & Nutrition

In the wild, Aussie Blues Zoas has developed a symbiotic feeding relationship with marine algae called zooxanthellae. But in captivity, you have to feed them with nanoplankton or dissolved organics.

Fragging / Propagating Aussie Blues Zoas

A mature tank is highly recommended in propagating Aussie Blues Zoas. They should be set in the middle or top part of the tank where they will receive the most amount of light.

Flow / Lighting Requirements for Aussie Blues Zoas

Aussie Blues Zoas requires strong lighting and moderate waterflow.

Parasites & Diseases that Affect Aussie Blues Zoas

While the Aussie Blues Zoas are easy to maintain, you have to be alert for filamentous algae that can overgrow and smother their polyps. They are also prone to box snail which feeds on them, so you need to remove this particular snail from the tank. You also have to look out for large crustaceans and fish like angelfish and butterflyfish that nibbles on their tentacles.

Aussie Blues Zoas Origin

While the Aussie Blues Zoas are easy to maintain, you have to be alert for filamentous algae that can overgrow and smother their polyps. They are also prone to box snail which feeds on them, so you need to remove this particular snail from the tank. You also have to look out for large crustaceans and fish like angelfish and butterflyfish that nibbles on their tentacles.

Caution Should be Taken with Aussie Blues Zoas

Aussie Blues Zoas are known to posses high levels of palytoxin and vibrio bacteria especially in their mucus. So, you need to wear gloves in handling them.

How to Acclimate Aussie Blues Zoas

Aussie Blues Zoas are purely marine. So, therefore, salinity must be maintained thoroughly at 1.023 to 1.025 specific gravity.

Stinging Tentacles on Aussie Blues Zoas

Since the Aussie Blues Zoas contains toxins and bateria, you have give them ample space so that they cannot sting other coral species.

Relevent Articles

Original Detail

Name Species Family Scientific Name More Detail Added by
Aussie Blues Zoas Zoanthid Zoanthidae Zoanthus sp
Zoanthids feature a hard exoskeleton and is considered one of the most durable inhabitants in a reef aquarium making them the perfect piece for newbie aquarist. Their appearance resembles like a cluster of miniature sea anemones that often creates a hard matting appearance. While they look similar with sea anemones, Zoanthids are generally smaller with an oral disc measuring only from 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter.
 
For the Aussie Blues Zoas, they are predominantly colored blue with yellow polyps. This are the water paramaters in cultivating Aussie Blues Zoas:
  • Calcium: 380 - 430 ppm
  • Alkalinity: 3.2 - 4.5 MEQ/L
  • Phosphates: 0
  • Magnesium: 1250 - 1300 ppm
  • Strontium: 8 - 10
  • Temperature: 72° - 82° F (22° - 27° C)
  • Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025
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