How do people get spherical acan/zoa colonies?

[JurisReefer]

I think they're way more visually appealing than otherwise. Only thing I can think of is maybe a spherical rock? But they seem too perfect to be that simple.

 

Anyone know the secret? Who do I sacrifice my first born to? Feel free to show off pics of your enviably round colonies.

[Gourami Swami]

I think you just need to mount the original frag in a way so that the new heads would have room to grow underneath. It would still need to be attached , so I don't think you could get a 100% round ball of coral. But could get pretty close if it was mounted up ontop of something narrow. 

On the sand, you get a half a sphere because obviously the sand blocks it, like the red one here

I am testing this out right now with the purple and green acan frag, I have it mounted sticking up and it has grown 4 new heads all around in a few weeks time. Im thinking as it grows, it will turn into a partial sphere

 

[Clown79]

It just depends on how their skeleton and heads grow.

 

I have 4 that have grown in spherical shape and 3 that have not.

 

I didn't do anything different with any of them. 

[JurisReefer]

54 minutes ago, Gourami Swami said:

I think you just need to mount the original frag in a way so that the new heads would have room to grow underneath. It would still need to be attached , so I don't think you could get a 100% round ball of coral. But could get pretty close if it was mounted up ontop of something narrow. 

On the sand, you get a half a sphere because obviously the sand blocks it, like the red one here

I am testing this out right now with the purple and green acan frag, I have it mounted sticking up and it has grown 4 new heads all around in a few weeks time. Im thinking as it grows, it will turn into a partial sphere

 

Fair enough. Thanks for the reply!

 

Follow up question: How'd you get that first picture? Whenever I take pictures of my tank with all the whites on the corals look awful, and even with the expensive clip-on filters I don't get shots that clear. What I mean to say is- that's an awesome shot what did you take it on? 

32 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

It just depends on how their skeleton and heads grow.

 

I have 4 that have grown in spherical shape and 3 that have not.

 

I didn't do anything different with any of them. 

I figured there was no first-born sacrificing to be done, but thought I'd give it a shot. Thanks for the reply!

[teenyreef]

I agree, it mostly has to do with getting enough growth that it colonizes the entire rock. The spherical zoas/palys in my 40g are all growing on their own rocks, but the rocks aren't spherical at all. My acans tend to do the same thing.

 

Here's a top down of my 40g. The big colony of the green zoas is the closest to spherical, although some of the others are getting close. Same for the blue acans.

 

 

[JurisReefer]

18 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

I agree, it mostly has to do with getting enough growth that it colonizes the entire rock. The spherical zoas/palys in my 40g are all growing on their own rocks, but the rocks aren't spherical at all. My acans tend to do the same thing.

 

Here's a top down of my 40g. The big colony of the green zoas is the closest to spherical, although some of the others are getting close. Same for the blue acans.

 

 

Yup.. that is exactly what I'm looking for. Serious zoa envy. Thanks for the reply that's an amazing collection you have there.

[teenyreef]

15 minutes ago, JurisReefer said:

Yup.. that is exactly what I'm looking for. Serious zoa envy. Thanks for the reply that's an amazing collection you have there.

Thanks! I should note, although it's probably obvious to you, I'm talking about relatively small rocks that are roughly roundish. If you grow zoas on a brick, you'll get a brick-shaped colony. 🙂

[HookedOnAquariums]

What I am attempting to do with my acans is put them on larger plugs. I cut off the plug end and put it on a tile so hopefully it will grow down and make a half sphere.

[mitten_reef]

^ that’s what I did, sort of. I just removed mine from the store plug and place directly on 1.5-2” round tile. They’re both on the same sized tiles, you can see how they grew out  

 

[teenyreef]

I agree, for acans a small tile works great because they build their own skeleton. The zoas need a little more shape. But even on a round frag plug, they do tend to thicken up in the middle of the plug once they cover it all, and then they get partly spherical.

 

What an interesting question and good discussion!

[Gourami Swami]

11 hours ago, JurisReefer said:

Fair enough. Thanks for the reply!

 

Follow up question: How'd you get that first picture? Whenever I take pictures of my tank with all the whites on the corals look awful, and even with the expensive clip-on filters I don't get shots that clear. What I mean to say is- that's an awesome shot what did you take it on? 

I figured there was no first-born sacrificing to be done, but thought I'd give it a shot. Thanks for the reply!

I took that photo with whites turned up, and blues still on but way down, with an iPhone XR, no filters editing or lenses used. It takes me many photos to get a good one, the second photo was taken with lights both at higher intensity, which is how I normally run the tank, but doesn't work well for pictures.