Zoanthus sp. – Zoanthid Coral

Corals of the Zoanthus genus, often referred to as Zoanthids or simply Zoas, are highly popular soft corals in reef aquariums. They form shallow colonies where small polyps grow in a dense mat on rock surfaces or frag plugs. Each polyp has a mouth in the center, surrounded by a colorful ring and short tentacles.

Zoanthus corals are known for their immense color variation. Polyps can be, for example, green, orange, red, blue, purple, yellow, or multicolored. Often, the center of the polyp, the ring, and the outer edge are different colors, creating striking patterns. In blue aquarium lighting, many color morphs fluoresce intensely.

Hundreds of different color morphs and trade names are known in the aquarium hobby. Well-known examples include Rasta, Utter Chaos, Scrambled Eggs, Eagle Eye, Armor of God, and Sunny D. Particularly bright and rare variants can be significantly more valuable than common specimens.

In a reef aquarium, Zoanthus generally thrives in the lower or middle sections of the tank, but many species also adapt well to stronger lighting. The polyps often grow quickly and can spread across rock surfaces, forming larger coral mats.

Features

• coral mat formed by small polyps
• huge variety of color morphs
• often strong fluorescence in blue lighting
• can spread quickly across rock surfaces
• very popular coral in reef aquariums

Care Requirements

Good to Know

Zoanthus corals can spread quickly in suitable conditions and form extensive colonies. Some Zoanthus and especially Palythoa species may contain the toxin known as palytoxin, so caution should be exercised when handling the coral.

Suitability

• well suited for reef aquariums
• generally compatible with fish and invertebrates
• an excellent choice even for beginners