How to Feed Zoanthids

Zoanthids are species of coral that can be used as beautiful living decorations for saltwater aquariums. To keep the zoanthids alive, they have to be fed in a certain way. The organisms aren't like fish or turtles, which can move around and seek out the food they eat. You have to administer the food in a way that will allow the tenticles of the zoanthids to reach out and grasp the food.

Things You'll Need

  • Baster
  • Zooplankton, fish food, or chunks of raw fish or shrimp
  • Bowl filled with water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get zooplankton from a pet store that caters to fish owners. You can also use raw fish or shrimp and mash it into a fine paste for the zoanthids to eat. Zoanthids may also eat fish food in flake form.

    • 2

      Fill a bowl with water. You may need something bigger than a bowl (a bucket, perhaps) if you have a large aquarium.

    • 3

      Pour the zooplankton or the paste of raw fish or shrimp into the bowl of water. For the paste, you may want to loosen the consistency by stirring it in the water.

    • 4

      Suck the zooplankton or the paste into the baster and spray it over the zoanthids so that the tenticles can grasp the food. Don't prod the zoanthids with the baster to force them to feed, because if there are fish in the aquarium, they may see that the baster is a source of food and they'll nip at the zoanthids' tenticles in order to get the food that's been released by the baster.

      Fish food in flake form can just be sprinkled in the water.

    • 5

      Feed the zoanthids up to three times a week. Depending on the species, the zoanthids will need to be fed infrequently, as any excess feeding will cause the water to become cloudy with uneaten food particles, especially if there are no fish in the water to clean up what the zoanthids don't eat.