Ked Redd Zoas
Kedd’s Reds Zoas are instantly recognizable and are a great way to add a splash of red to a home aquarium. They have a bright red outer ring and a deep indigo centre and their fringe is generally a slightly darker shade of red than the outer ring. Their polyps are of average size and they tend to grow tightly to the rockwork. Like other zoas, Kedd’s Reds reproduce by budding, with a small frag capable of becoming a beautiful colony quite quickly. The polyps grow tightly together and are connected by a fleshy network of tubes that allows the colony to share nutrients.
Zoas are found throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans in a wide variety of habitats. While all the different types of zoas that are currently available for sale were originally wild collected, the vast majority of zoas currently offered are aquacultured. This ensures a relatively high level of colour uniformity and also means that the coral is well adapted to life in a reef tank. Hobbyists will often place different coloured zoas on rock islands grouped together to form the classic zoa garden. It is generally advisable to not place zoas on the main rockwork because, like all corals, they have no “off switch” and may begin to grow out of control.
Zoas are adaptable to a wide range of lighting conditions, but they should not be kept in extremely high light areas or areas of total shadow. Different types of zoas seem to prefer different levels of lighting so a little bit of trial and error may be necessary to find the perfect placement. If the polyps appear to be “reaching” towards the top of the tank it could be an indication they are receiving too little light. Conversely, too much light can cause the polyps to stay closed or even to “melt”. Flow should be sufficient to prevent the build up of detritus but not so strong that the polyps remain closed.
All zoas are photosynthetic and are able to use aquarium lighting to meet their energy needs. However, they will benefit from occasional feedings with foods such as Reef Roids or Vitalis Soft Coral Food.
Due to their speed of growth, fragging zoas is common but it is not without its challenges. Since they do not have a calcified skeleton that can be cut, polyps must be scraped from the rock and glued to a frag plug or piece of rubble rock. This usually takes a few tries but is fairly easy once mastered. The fragged polyps will soon attach themselves to the plug and begin to grow a new colony. Due to the possibility of the zoas secreting toxins when handled, it is recommended that hobbyists wear gloves, a mask and eye protection when fragging zoas.
Vibrant red corals can be somewhat difficult to find in the hobby and Kedd’s Reds zoas are a great way to add some eye popping red to a home reef tank.
