Zoanthus sp (Colony Polyp)

Source: liveaquaria.com

QUICK STATS

• Care Level: Easy
  
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
  
• Lighting: Moderate to High
  
• Waterflow: Medium
  
• Placement: Middle to Top
  
• Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
  
• Color Form: Orange, Red, Yellow
  
• Origin: Indonesia
  
• Family: Zoanthidae
  
• Insert Date: 13 March 2010

The Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are also referred to as Sea Mats, or Button Polyps. Their most common color is green, but are also found in other bright colors, such as orange. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock. Pictured above are the two common forms of the super colored colony polyps and the coloration that you will receive will depend on availability.
These polyps have the ability to sting other polyps or corals. While the sting is not strong, they are semi-aggressive and need to have space between their colony and any neighbors since they tend to crowd them out. They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. They require a high light level combined with a medium water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.

They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony.

They contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which provide almost all of their nutritional requirements. Especially if the lighting is not optimal, they should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.

It is common to receive a rock that is not completely covered in polyps. However, under the right conditions, they will quickly spread across this and surrounding rocks in the aquarium.

Links:
http://www.fishlore.com/coral/zoanthids-button-polyps.htm

Got them as a birthday gift from my parents, the colour form is very bright and unique. There current place is next to the other buttons.

It has some trouble with the algea grow we have allot of lately, but trying to keep it clean.

The colony polyps also have trouble with the algae, also a part of it fell behind the rocks. I hope to find that when we take everything out, if it didn’t die yet. And also hope that the algae problem will end after the rebuild.

The buttons and polyps will have a nice location at the very top, where I hope they will build a sort of a bridge. They will have a lot of light there, and not too much water flow. So the idea is to have a bridge between rock pillars filled with polyps. All three polyp types will be located at the top is the idea. The button and colony polyps are already located high, but also the star polyps will be put there…if they manage to stay open for another week.

Found an article on Fishlore

Put it in a bucket together with the other polyps (green star and button). Also found the piece that broke from it again.

Still a lot of them are closed, but they will probably recover. The new location should be very well suited for them.

The Colony polyps are still mostly closed, hope they will open their eyes soon.

The colony polyps are all gone . We moved the rock behind the Anemone now as filler. Don’t think there is any chance for them to recover from there either.