Mesmerizing Pandora Zoa Corals for Saltwater Aquariums

Exploring the World of Pandora Zoa

Pandora zoa are stunning new coral species taking the reef keeping hobby by storm. These tiny polyped corals have some truly unique characteristics compared to other corals, making them fascinating additions to home aquariums. With proper care and husbandry, pandora zoa can thrive and display their mesmerizing colors and patterns.

What are Pandora Zoa?

Pandora zoa belong to the family Ricordea and the genus Ricordea florida. They are a type of coral that consists of a single large polyp rather than colonies of multiple tiny polyps like other species. The polyps sit on top of a fleshy base or foot and can retract completely into the calyx when disturbed.

These corals originate from the warm tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, near islands like Fiji, Tonga and Indonesia. They are typically found in shallow reef environments from 5-20 meters in depth. In the wild, pandora zoa often grow solitary, spaced apart from other corals.

The common name "panda zoa" refers to their resemblance to the panda bear's distinctive black and white facial markings. No two pandora zoa look exactly the same, with endless variations in colors and patterns.

Unique Features of Pandora Zoa

Pandora zoa have some distinctive features that set them apart from other corals in the hobby:

• Single large polyp - Unlike colonial corals, pandora zoa polyps can reach over 2 inches in diameter.
• Vibrant colors - They exhibit an incredible diversity of colors like neon greens, electric blues, and bright oranges.
• Pulsation - Their polyps have a distinctive pulsing motion that extends and contracts.
• Patterns - Pandora zoa are known for their striking spotted, striped, and marbled patterns.
• Bioluminescence - Some specimens glow in the dark under actinic lighting.
• Polymorphism - No two individuals look the same due to genetic polymorphism.

These unique traits make pandora zoa extremely popular for reef aquariums. Their pulsating polyps and luminous colors stand out beautifully.

Pandora Zoa Husbandry Requirements

Caring for pandora zoa requires meeting some specific husbandry needs:

• Lighting - Moderate to high intensity lighting between 150-250 watts of metal halides or LEDs.
• Flow - Low to moderate water flow between 100-150 GPH.
• Temperature - 74°F to 84°F, with 78°F to 82°F ideal.
• Alkalinity - 7-12 dKH to support skeletal growth.
• Calcium - 350 to 450 ppm for proper calcification.
• Salinity - 1.023 to 1.025 specific gravity.
• Aquascaping - Place on rocky surfaces or reef plugs in lower flow areas.

Providing the right aquarium conditions will keep your pandora zoa healthy and looking their best. Perform regular water changes, test alkalinity and calcium, and maintain stable parameters.

Feeding Pandora Zoa

In nature, pandora zoa derive most of their nutrition from photosynthesis and some zooplankton capture. In captivity, target feeding helps supplement their diet:

• Microplankton - Phytoplankton, rotifers, copepods.
• Meaty foods - Brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, crab, clam.
• Coral foods - Amino acid mixtures, coral frenzy.

Use a turkey baster or pipette to gently blow food particles right onto the oral disc 1-2 times per week. This will provide essential nutrients.

Propagating Pandora Zoa

One of the most fascinating aspects of keeping pandora zoa is propagating new colonies. They can be reproduced through several methods:

• Fragging - Cutting off pieces of the fleshy base which regenerate into new colonies.
• Polyp bailout - Whole polyps detach and resettle to expand the colony.
• Splitting - Mature large colonies split down the middle into two sections.

Allow frags and bailout polyps to settle onto a new surface before moving them. Within a few weeks, they will attach and continue growing. Use coral glue to reattach split or damaged colonies.

Unique Varieties of Pandora Zoa

Thanks to polymorphism, pandora zoa exhibit endless color morphs and patterns. Some of the most popular named varieties include:

• Rainbow – Shimmering bands of metallic color.
• Nuclear Green – Glowing neon green polyps.
• Samurai – Vibrant red stripes on green.
• Radioactive Dragon Eyes – Electric green with black slit pupils.
• Pink Panther – Shocking bright pink polyps.
• Lemon Lime – Zest yellows and greens.

New color morphs are being discovered and propagated all the time. You never know what unique specimens you may find!

Caring For Pandora Zoa

Pandora zoa are absolutely stunning but require some specialized care. Here are some key tips for keeping your colonies healthy and thriving in captivity:

Quarantine New Colonies

Before adding new pandora zoa to your display tank, it's highly recommended to quarantine them first. Drip acclimate the corals for 1-2 hours before placing in quarantine. This prevents introducing pests or diseases to your main system.

Use a small 10-20 gallon tank with just a heater, circulation pump, and basic LED lighting. Monitor for any signs of problems and treat if necessary before moving to display.

Provide Stable Conditions

Fluctuating water parameters can quickly stress and kill sensitive corals like pandora zoa. Use an auto-top off system and adequate buffering capacity to maintain temperature, pH, calcium, and alkalinity.

Perform 10-15% weekly water changes with saltwater matched to tank parameters. This keeps pollutants low and replenishes trace elements.

Target Feed Regularly

In addition to photosynthesizing, pandora zoa benefit immensely from target feeding 1-2 times per week. Use a pipette or turkey baster to blow food particles right onto their mouths.

Offer a mixture of phytoplankton, zooplankton, microfine fish food, coral frenzy, rotifers, and other meaty items. This provides essential nutrition.

Provide Proper Lighting

Pandora zoa need moderate to high intensity lighting to thrive. Metal halides, T5 fluorescents, and LEDs in the range of 8,000K to 20,000K all work well.

Position colonies to receive direct lighting for 6-10 hours daily. Gradually increase intensity over several weeks when introducing to a new tank.

Use Low Flow Areas

Pandora zoa prefer low flow environments in nature. Position colonies out of direct outlet flow and high turbulence areas. Anchor frags to prevent them from getting blown around.

Moderate circulation between 100-150 GPH will prevent detritus buildup without overly disturbing the corals.

Monitor and Respond to Stress

Check pandora zoa every day for signs of stress like excessive mucus production, bleaching, or receding polyps. Identify and correct the root cause immediately.

Common problems are lighting that is too intense, low alkalinity/calcium, aggression from neighbors, or hot spots. Catching issues early prevents mortality.

Propagate Your Colonies

One of the most enjoyable aspects of keeping pandora zoa is propagating colonies. Allow bailout polyps to settle and attach before fragging. Handle new frags delicately.

Trade or sell propagations to diversify your collection. Propagating also provides backups in case of losses. Share the joy of these magical corals!

FAQ about Keeping Pandora Zoa

Are pandora zoa suitable for beginners?

Pandora zoa are generally not ideal corals for complete beginners due to their more intermediate care requirements. Their sensitivity to water quality and lighting make them more challenging.

How quickly do pandora zoa grow and propagate?

Under good conditions, pandora zoa can grow fairly rapidly, up to 1⁄2 inch of fleshy base per month. Whole polyp bailouts happen frequently, while splitting takes longer. Frags attach quickly.

What fish or inverts are reef safe with pandora zoa?

Most common reef species do well with pandora zoa, including clownfish, blennies, gobies, banggai cardinals, chromis, shrimp, crabs, snails, starfish etc. Avoid aggressive species.

Can you keep different pandora zoa varieties together?

It is generally fine to mix color morphs as long as flesh and polyps don’t make direct contact. Space similar colored varieties further apart to maintain distinctness.

Why are my new pandora zoa polyps closed?

Polyps remaining closed can indicate stress and acclimation issues. Ensure lighting, flow and water parameters match the previous tank. Increase intensity gradually over days to weeks.

How often should I feed my pandora zoa corals?

Target feeding pandora zoa 1-2 times per week is ideal. Use a varied diet of microplankton, coral foods, brine shrimp, and other meaty items for nutrition.

FAQs

What causes pandora zoa polyps to bleach?

Bleaching is usually caused by stress from changes in lighting, insufficient feeding, aggression from neighbors, high nitrate/phosphate, or rapid parameter shifts.

How often should I feed reef roids or coral frenzy?

These prepared coral foods can be fed 1-2 times per week as part of a varied target feeding regimen. More frequent feeding may pollute water.

Why did my pandora zoa colony melt overnight?

Rapid tissue necrosis overnight is typically caused by acute toxicity from copper medications or aggressive corals like aiptasia anemones.

What is the best way to glue and reattach pandora zoa frags?

Use a coral and stone underwater epoxy like Milliput. Take care to minimize glue contact with coral tissue when reattaching frags.

Can I keep pandora zoa under T5 or LED only lighting?

Yes, high quality LEDs and T5s in the right color spectrum and intensity can support pandora zoa growth and coloration.