		Colorful Zoanthids Help Make Your Reef Tank Into a Living Undersea Garden	easy reefer > zoanthids
Store Live Corals Aquarium Pumps SPS Coral SPS Coral Overview SPS by Classification SPS by Morphology Zoanthids Overview of Zoanthids Clams Overview of Clams Reef Aquarium Hardware Metal Halide Lighting Calcium Reactors Fluidized Reactors pH Meters and Controllers Phosphate Binding Media RODI Filters Learning Center Click to learn Online Community Returning very soon! Our Sponsors	Why Keep Zoanthids? "The tiny flowers of the reef," Zoanthids (also referred to as colonial anenomies, button polyps and commonly as "zoos" or "zoas") are among the hardiest of all reef aquarium species, but nonetheless remain a constant favorite of reef aquarium hobbyists for their wide range of colors as well as their propensity to grow into thick colonies that provide a lush and vibrant coverage for live rock (and sometimes even aquarium glass or unsightly reef tank hardware such as flow devices including powerheads). For a long time, the only zoanthids that were available to keepers of reef tanks were drab brown and common green- but thanks for advances in aquaculture (captive rearing) and propagation techniques (fragging), zoanthids are now available in color varieties including wild electric blues, stunning neon oranges, peaceful pastel purples and alarming deep reds. While hobbyists keeping SPS corals are sometimes hesitant to place zoanthids in their collections, regular care and propogation can help to make these beautiful creatures a successful addition to your reef aquarium livestock. The hesitation is not entirely unfounded, as zoanthids are an invasive species, growing on any surface on which they can establish themselves, sometimes even including other living creatures such as SPS corals and clams. But, a wise reef aquarium hobbyist will quickly understand that they can easily benefit from the growth behavior of zoanthids. By locating zoanthids in areas shaded from intense metal halide aquarium lighting, all areas of a reef tank can be filled with color and interesting reef species. Taking advantage of their aggressive colony forming behavior, atruly entrepreneurial reef hobbyist will select only rare zoanthids in prized colors (blue zoanthids are currently among the most treasured of all reef aquarium corals) and propagate them. "Fragging" zoanthids is accomplished by placing small pieces of live rock adjacent to successful zoanthid colonies and allowing them to spread. These zoanthid frags are often then given away to friends or fellow reef tank hobbyists, traded for other colors to increase the range of colors in reef tanks, or even sold online or at local "frag swaps."

Colorful Zoanthids Help Make Your Reef Tank Into a Living Undersea Garden

easy reefer > zoanthids

zoanthid species

Store

Live Corals
Aquarium Pumps

SPS Coral

SPS Coral Overview
SPS by Classification
SPS by Morphology

Zoanthids

Overview of Zoanthids

Clams

Overview of Clams

Reef Aquarium Hardware

Metal Halide Lighting
Calcium Reactors
Fluidized Reactors
pH Meters and Controllers
Phosphate Binding Media
RODI Filters

Learning Center
Click to learn

Online Community
Returning very soon!

Our Sponsors

Why Keep Zoanthids?

"The tiny flowers of the reef," Zoanthids (also referred to as colonial anenomies, button polyps and commonly as "zoos" or "zoas") are among the hardiest of all reef aquarium species, but nonetheless remain a constant favorite of reef aquarium hobbyists for their wide range of colors as well as their propensity to grow into thick colonies that provide a lush and vibrant coverage for live rock (and sometimes even aquarium glass or unsightly reef tank hardware such as flow devices including powerheads). For a long time, the only zoanthids that were available to keepers of reef tanks were drab brown and common green- but thanks for advances in aquaculture (captive rearing) and propagation techniques (fragging), zoanthids are now available in color varieties including wild electric blues, stunning neon oranges, peaceful pastel purples and alarming deep reds.

While hobbyists keeping SPS corals are sometimes hesitant to place zoanthids in their collections, regular care and propogation can help to make these beautiful creatures a successful addition to your reef aquarium livestock. The hesitation is not entirely unfounded, as zoanthids are an invasive species, growing on any surface on which they can establish themselves, sometimes even including other living creatures such as SPS corals and clams. But, a wise reef aquarium hobbyist will quickly understand that they can easily benefit from the growth behavior of zoanthids. By locating zoanthids in areas shaded from intense metal halide aquarium lighting, all areas of a reef tank can be filled with color and interesting reef species.

Taking advantage of their aggressive colony forming behavior, atruly entrepreneurial reef hobbyist will select only rare zoanthids in prized colors (blue zoanthids are currently among the most treasured of all reef aquarium corals) and propagate them. "Fragging" zoanthids is accomplished by placing small pieces of live rock adjacent to successful zoanthid colonies and allowing them to spread. These zoanthid frags are often then given away to friends or fellow reef tank hobbyists, traded for other colors to increase the range of colors in reef tanks, or even sold online or at local "frag swaps."


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