Two questions

[SurferStevo]

#1 - Are the yellow polyps (Parazoanthus sp.) more difficult than regular zoos? I had some on the same rock & they seem to have been out competed by the other ones.
#2 - When zoos go "umbrella" what does that mean? Too much light?

[Nagel]

It depends. I had a rock with orange button polyps and yellow star polyps and the yellow stars lost out to the orange buttons. I also have a gazillion YSP in my 75 reef. If they have no competition they are pretty rapid growers. Some may outcompete zoos, some zoos outcompete YSP.

By "umbrella" I am assuming you mean curling out and over. That could be too much light, but sometimes my happy zoos will umbrella for no reason. If they do it constantly, it's probably a bit more light then they want. If they only do it occasionally, it may be nothing to worry about.

HTH

[technoshaman]

Srfmon - not sure about second one. Let me give you some personal experience on yellow polyps though. They seem hardy but benefit very much so from spot feeding of macro food (visible to naked eye). You can clearly see the polyp engulf the food. This also at least in my tank with regualr feedings precipitated a fair amount of growth of new polyps to the point nowI had to prune them off at least two spots in my nano. These are considered pests by some people who experience rapid spreading by them.

Also I'm not sure what lighting they like or how photosynthetic they are at all. Mine were fine in my old nano with one old pc bulb. I upgraded to a single 96 watt fixture and they got a dark golden brown and then back to their bright yellow after three weeks or so.

If you like the way these look there is also a beautiful species of polyps - Epizonathus ? I believe that are a dark red-wine color. I have seen them encrusting gorgonian skeletons and rock.

If you find any definite info on food / light post it here I'd be curious to know.
HTH

-Mike

[SurferStevo]

Maybe that's my problem with the yellow's - I don't feed them directly.

technoshaman - you are correct on your guess of umbrella. I'm talking about when the outer edges curl downwards so that the polyp looks like an open umbrella.

I never really worried about these guys before because all the ones I used to have were all dull colors. But now that I have some that have nice coloring I want to see them do well.

[icebear]

Originally posted by Nagel


By "umbrella" I am assuming you mean curling out and over. That could be too much light, but sometimes my happy zoos will umbrella for no reason.

HTH

i'd be shocked if that were caused by too much light.... i have 3, 30 watt NO bulbs, 10000K superdaylight, an Actinic and a 50/50 (overdriving them is in the plans, but hasn't happend yet).... what i mean is that there is no way i have too much light even for zoos and shrooms and buttons... ;) but thats my only reason for thinking that...