Coral

ECC Starfighter Zoanthid

Zoanthus sp.ZoanthidaeZoanthids

1 photos

The ECC Starfighter Zoanthid (Zoanthus sp.) is an eye-catching, easy-to-care-for soft coral with striking starfighter-inspired coloration. It is a peaceful, low to medium light (75-250 PAR) coral that thrives on rockwork under moderate flow, making it well suited to a wide range of reef aquariums.

Quick facts

Handling caution: May contain palytoxin; wear gloves and eye protection when handling or fragging

Identity

Also known as: Starfighter zoas
Synonyms: Palythoa sp. (often confused, but distinct genus)
Environment: Saltwater
Native to: Indo-Pacific, Caribbean, tropical reefs worldwide
Habitat: Shallow reef flats, tide pools, and wave-swept rocky shorelines with high light and periodic exposure to air at low tide
Sourcing: Aquacultured
Conservation: Not Evaluated

Care

Care level: Easy
Coral type: Soft
Temperament: Peaceful
Growth form: Colonial polyps
Adult size: 0.5 – 1 in (1.3 – 2.5 cm)
Spread: 12 in (30 cm)
Growth rate: Fast
Placement: Low, Middle

Water

Temperature: 75 – 78 °F (24 – 26 °C)
pH: 8.1 – 8.4
dKH: 8 – 9.5 dKH
Salinity: 1.025 – 1.026 SG
PAR: 75 – 150 PAR
Flow: Moderate
Light: Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference: Medium
Alk/Ca uptake: Low
Target feeding: Beneficial
Give it room: 2 in (5.1 cm)
Colors: Green, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Pink, Blue, Multicolor

Feeding & breeding

Diet: Photosynthetic
Foods: Coral food, Zooplankton, Phytoplankton
Propagation: Fragging

Something wrong or missing? Submit a correction

Care guide

Overview

Suits reef tanks with moderate flow and low to medium light where an encrusting Zoanthus sp. colony can spread across open rock without crowding slower corals. Its zooxanthellae supply most nutrition, so feeding is optional, and it tolerates the chemistry swings common to the genus. A buffer zone limits encroachment on neighboring soft corals and LPS.

Care

Zoanthids are among the most forgiving corals available to reef keepers, tolerating a wide swing in light, flow, and water chemistry that would stress more delicate species. Colonies encrust over rock rather than growing upward, so they need lateral space to spread without crowding neighboring corals. New acquisitions should be acclimated to lighting gradually over one to two weeks, since a sudden jump in intensity can cause bleaching or polyp retraction.

Placement & acclimation

Frags are typically mounted onto rock or plugs with reef-safe epoxy or cyanoacrylate gel in a spot with gentle to moderate flow. Introduce new colonies at lower light levels than the target placement and increase exposure gradually over one to two weeks to prevent bleaching. Position away from aggressive stony corals to avoid tissue damage during the encrusting phase.

Feeding

Most of their nutrition comes from photosynthetic zooxanthellae housed in their tissue, so direct feeding is optional rather than essential. Occasional target feeding with fine zooplankton or coral food can boost polyp size and coloration, especially in low-nutrient systems. Broadcast feeding of the tank with phytoplankton also benefits colonies indirectly by supporting overall system productivity.

Neighbors

Zoanthids lack sweeper tentacles and generally do not sting neighboring corals, making them easy to mix with other soft corals and LPS. Faster-growing morphs can eventually overrun slower corals through sheer encroachment, so leave a buffer zone or place them on a dedicated rock island. Avoid direct contact with corals that do sting, such as some LPS or anemones, since zoanthid tissue can be damaged even though it is not itself aggressive.

Fragging

Colonies are fragged by cutting the connective mat between polyps with a sharp blade or scissors, ideally leaving several polyps per frag for faster recovery. Cutting should always be done underwater or with the rock submerged to avoid aerosolizing any palytoxin, and protective gloves and eyewear are recommended. Frags reattach to new substrate within one to two weeks under stable conditions.

Pests & problems

Polyps that stay closed for extended periods usually indicate flow that is too strong, lighting that was changed too quickly, or poor water quality rather than disease. Zoanthid-eating nudibranchs and spiders are the most common pest, and can decimate a colony if not caught early through close visual inspection of new frags. Bleaching from light shock is reversible if the colony is moved back to lower intensity promptly.