Xenia and Zoos

[azfishgal]

In the next month I want to get a bunch of zoos and a few Xenias, but they will be in my 10 gallon QT for three weeks before adding to my 125 DT. If they are to close to each other will they have a chemical war fare with each other? If no, will they be ok if they end up touching each other? These will be my first corals, and I think from my reading they are good for beginners. Would you agree?
Thanks in advance!

 

[reefkprz]

zoas are good starter corals. xenia is hit or miss, I would wait untill your tank is about 6months befoer trying them. often for no explainable reason they just dont take. IMO established tanks have the best luck with xenia. I had to try xenia three times before it would do anything othher than shrivel and die. now it grows like mad.
they will be fine close to ewachother its just that the xenia grows so fast it can smother zoas (even three weeks is long enough for a branch to lean over and attach to a nearby rock)

 

[azfishgal]

OK, so I'll wait on the Xenia and only get zoos. Does it matter how many I put in my small QT tank, as long as they are not touching? Or is touching each other not a big deal?

 

[fishgeek01]

is there any reason why you are qt'ing your corals? Unlike fish typically most people do not qt them. Unless you are afraid of zoo eating nudi's or acro bugs, there really is no reason to qt, unless your DT is not fully cycled.... Just a question, not trying to flame you or anything, everyone has there own way, and yeah, the zoos are great beginner corals, and the enxia as said before is hit or miss. I would also recommend trying some yellow polyps or mushrooms as start corals. The yellow polyps will do fine if left alone, but multiply like crazy if you turkey baste them with brine or mysis, I have to many as of now.....

 

[reefkprz]

You can cram as many zoas in their as you want just remember if one frag does have a nastie on it they all will get it. three weeks isnt really long enough for the zoas to really over grow each other though if the rocks are touching they may start to spread onto the other rocks, and with mixed zoas the more dominant ends up choking the other one out eventually but QT time isnt nearly long enough for that to happen, be more cautious if you get palythoa as they can sting the heck out of reg zoas on contact, you'll know the second two polyps touch if letting them stay in prolonged contact is bad they will react immediatly, as long as you seperate any that dont react well any damage will most likley be minor and heal quickly.
I also agree with what the previous poster said about mushrooms being great starter corals.

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by Fishgeek01
is there any reason why you are qt'ing your corals? Unlike fish typically most people do not qt them. Unless you are afraid of zoo eating nudi's or acro bugs, there really is no reason to qt, unless your DT is not fully cycled.... Just a question, not trying to flame you or anything, everyone has there own way, and yeah, the zoos are great beginner corals, and the enxia as said before is hit or miss. I would also recommend trying some yellow polyps or mushrooms as start corals. The yellow polyps will do fine if left alone, but multiply like crazy if you turkey baste them with brine or mysis, I have to many as of now.....
The reason for QT corals is I don't know what kind of water these corals will be in, and even though they can't show signs of ich, they can still be carriers of it and/or unwanted hitch hikers. So doing the three week QT will help reduce the chances of anything bad getting into my DT. Many aquarists are starting to do this, as an added protective measure.

 

[azfishgal]

Thanks reef, for your tips. I appreciate it.

 

[reefkprz]

I QT corals from unknown or untrusted sources. better safe than sorry in my book, the one time I didnt it had aiptasia in a hole on the rock that I didnt see untill it opened.

 

[reefkprz]

Your welcome AZ, I love watching your tank grow into fruition.

 

[fishgeek01]

Originally Posted by azfishgal
The reason for QT corals is I don't know what kind of water these corals will be in, and even though they can't show signs of ich, they can still be carriers of it and/or unwanted hitch hikers. So doing the three week QT will help reduce the chances of anything bad getting into my DT. Many aquarists are starting to do this, as an added protective measure.

sounds good, you make some very good points

 

[kevin34]

Hey Az, what kind of lights do you have on your QT?

 

[azfishgal]

Originally Posted by Kevin34
Hey Az, what kind of lights do you have on your QT?
Stock lighting: Two T5 10,000K, and 1 Actinic.