Zoanthids are the first “coral” for many marine aquarium keepers and it's easy to see why. They come in a wild myriad of colors, most of them are quite hardy and grow quickly under good conditions. Among our staff favorites here are our Caribbean Ultra Zoanthids. You don't recognize the name because it isn't a brand, but there is no doubt that they are among our most beautiful polyps. Some Zoas aren't going to like super bright lighting no matter how slowly you move them and putting them into these super bright locations will cause them to change colors, sometimes with amazing results, but often times turning them brown or green. If you notice your Zoanthids stretching for the light, they likely need more of it; happy Zoas grow low and tight. When this is the case, the Zoas likely came from very deep water where the light supply is limited, and as a result, these polyps are almost entirely dependent on feeding. Even the Zoanthids collected from shallow water will do better with supplemental foods; they do not need much food, and this food should be very small. The solution we use in house is a blend of live algae products from Nutramar, which are a natural food source, and we've found excellent growth rates and the appearance of enhanced coloration in using it. Any type of food you choose can be directly fed with a baster with your flow turned off or at least way down. Click to learn more
