Rasta Zoanthids (Zoanthus sp.) (B20)

Zoanthids are one of the most beloved and collected corals in the reef hobby, and it is not difficult to understand why. Compact, fast-growing, endlessly variable in colour, and genuinely forgiving of a wide range of water conditions, they offer something for every level of experience and every budget. Whether you are building your first frag rack or hunting down the next piece for a serious zoa garden, these corals deliver immediate visual impact and long-term satisfaction in equal measure. Each polyp is a tiny, disc-shaped flower that opens fully under good conditions to reveal a vivid pattern of rings, halos, and contrasting colours, and no two morphs are exactly alike. Under blue and actinic lighting the effect is spectacular, with colours that fluoresce in ways that photographs rarely do justice.

Why we love them

• Extraordinary colour diversity spanning every part of the spectrum, from electric neons to deep jewel tones to subtle two-tone patterns that reward close observation
• Fast, reliable growth in stable conditions; established colonies spread steadily and produce frags easily, making them ideal for trading and sharing within the hobby
• Hardy and adaptable across a broad range of parameters, among the most forgiving corals available for developing reefers
• Fully compatible with most reef fish and invertebrates and able to coexist in a crowded frag rack or aquascape without specialist care
• One of the most collectible coral groups in the hobby, with an entire community built around hunting, naming, and growing rare and unusual colour morphs

Suggested parameters

• Temperature: 24 to 26°C (75 to 79°F)
• Salinity: 1.025 to 1.026 SG
• pH: 8.1 to 8.4
• Alkalinity: 8 to 10 dKH (stability matters most)
• Calcium: 400 to 450 ppm
• Magnesium: 1250 to 1400 ppm
• Nitrate: 5 to 20 ppm
• Phosphate: 0.03 to 0.12 ppm

Care and placement

• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Placement: Lower to mid rockwork, frag racks, sandbed islands, or open rubble zones; avoid placing directly against aggressive sweepers
• Lighting: Low to moderate; acclimate slowly to higher light to prevent bleaching or browning; most morphs show their best colour under blue-heavy or mixed spectrum lighting
• Flow: Low to moderate; enough to keep polyps clean and prevent detritus settling between them, but not so strong that polyps cannot open fully

Feeding

Not required, but optional feeding supports faster growth and enhanced colour.

• Fine coral foods, reef roids style powders, or phytoplankton broadcast once or twice per week
• Turn pumps down before feeding and resume flow after 10 to 15 minutes to allow polyps to feed

Compatibility and spacing

Zoanthids are generally peaceful but will compete for space over time.

• Leave room between morphs if you want to maintain clean borders between colonies; zoas will grow into and over neighbouring frags if left unchecked
• Keep away from aggressive sweeper corals including torches, hammers, favias, and other large LPS that will sting and kill zoa polyps at the colony's edge
• Most reef safe fish and invertebrates are compatible, though some fish, including certain butterflyfish and wrasses, may nip at polyps

Important handling note

Zoanthids and palythoas can contain palytoxin, one of the most potent naturally occurring toxins known. Always wear gloves and eye protection when fragging, handling, or working near colonies, and wash hands and all tools thoroughly after contact. Avoid any situation where the coral tissue could be aerosolized, such as cutting under running water or near a fan. If you have open cuts on your hands, double-glove. Take this seriously every time, no exceptions.

What you are buying

• You will receive a zoanthid frags with 3-6 polyps
• Colour and polyp size can vary between systems and may shift during acclimation as the coral adjusts to new lighting, flow, and nutrient levels; this is normal and colours typically stabilize and intensify once the colony is fully settled