Zoanthid & Palythoa Handling: A Guide for Your Home Aquarium

If your reef aquarium is missing a diversity of bright color patterns and you're in need of a fast growing species to cover your rock, get some Zoanthids for your saltwater tank. They will bring beauty and vibrant colors, which will create an attractive environment. Here are a few things you need to know about Zoanthid coral care.

1. Picking Your Zoanthids

When you are looking for Zoas for sale, make sure that you pick the right organisms so that you can increase the chances of success. You need to ensure that the Zoas you will be picking are colorful and not washed-out. Additionally, choose Zoanthids that have their tentacles out and not retracted.

2. Buy a Small Frag

If you want to buy coral online, make sure that you buy a small frag. Many people get excited and buy a large colony, which is a waste of money. When you practice good Zoa care, they breed and spread rapidly under good conditions, which means that you will soon have a large colony of corals. However small they are, make sure they are healthy enough to survive in another medium.

3. Water Movement

For the best coral Zoanthids care, don’t place them close to a powerhead as they prefer broad indirect flow. Contrasting with some other coral species that need heavy water current from the pump. Providing moderate water current is a balancing act that you need to learn with time. When you see your Zoas retracting their tentacles, you need to reduce the water currents. The behavior of Zoas will give you a hint of whether they are in the optimum environment.

4. Provide Sufficient Light

Light is necessary to all living organisms and more so for Zoa care. They do not only need light to grow bigger and faster but also for breeding purposes. Therefore, before you get your coral packs, make sure you know where you will be getting direct light intensity. With high and consistent light intensity, your Zoas will produce better and brighter colors.

5. Provide Food

As you might already know, all Zoanthids get their food through photosynthesis. They have photosynthetic algae in their cells which plays a vital role in energy provision. However, most of the species out there benefit from solid food. You can get solid Zoa foods from our retail stores or online stores like Bulk Reef Supply. Regular supply of solid food plays a vital role in coral Zoanthid care, growth, and breeding.

6. Handle with Care

You should never touch the tissue of a Zoanthid or Palythoa coral, especially Palythoa. Always handle the frag from the frag plug and the colony from the rocks underside. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. It is important to wear gloves, a mask, and eye protection when fragging them.

Now that you know the basics of Zoanthid care and handling, you can shop below to try them in your tank. World Wide Corals is a company driven and managed by professionals in supplying live corals. Just place an order for the Zoas you'd like in your reef and we'll make sure they survive for years to come!