Do zoas die of old age

[Benjamin]

I have just seen a polyp on one of my frags disappear for no noticeable reason and the rest of the frag is doing great. I started to wonder if zoas just die of old age possibly from time to time?

 

[ReefCheif]

Ive had zoas melt for no rhyme or reason. I don't think they die of old age, but they are considered colonial anemones so my best guess has always been the head or heads that disappeared were not doing good for the colony itself so the colony rejected it. Even though each zoa has its own head and mouth, they do still create a mat below and therfor are all attached as one organism.

I have no scientific data to back up my hypothesis and this is strictly my opinion.

 

[SkyDiv3r17]

This is a really good question I would like to know about!

 

[Benjamin]

Yea I have seen this a few times and I think to an extent they are as one but at the same time they are individual.