Not furry either, still lovely.
Zoanthids
Zoanthus spp.
Also called Zoas, Zoos, Button polyps, Colonial anemones, Carpet coral
From Found in seas worldwide, with most aquarium types coming from tropical and subtropical reefs; Zoanthus species have been described from places as far apart as Durban, Vietnam and Hawaii.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Soft-bodied colonial polyps (no skeleton)
Small anemone-like polyps, each with a central disc ringed by short tentacles, joined at the base by a fleshy mat or runners. Together they form bright, button-like carpets over rock. Unlike many relatives, Zoanthus does not build sand into its tissue.12
Personality what they are like
A sessile colony that opens its polyps in the light. It is calm overall but counts as semi-aggressive in a reef tank because it can sting corals placed right next to it.3
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Stays fixed in place; the colony slowly grows outward by budding new polyps.13
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Very little routine care beyond stable water and trace-element and iodine top-ups. Colonies can be split and glued onto rock to make new pieces. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling or cutting them, as some zoanthids carry a strong natural toxin.13
Home where they are happiest
A reef aquarium with moderate light (T5, LED or metal halide) and medium water flow, with space left between the colony and other corals. General reef values used for soft corals: about 22-26 C (72-78 F), pH 8.1-8.4, alkalinity 8-12 dKH, specific gravity 1.023-1.025.34
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Gets much of its energy from algae living in its tissue, and also catches plankton and fine particles. Occasional feeds of baby brine shrimp, krill or micro-plankton are helpful, especially under weaker light.13
Company who they like around
A colonial animal: polyps stay linked to each other. Keep separate colonies a little apart so they do not compete.13
The story where it all began
Lamarck named the genus Zoanthus in 1801, and it later became the type genus of its family and order. Zoanthids went on to become one of the best-known corals in the reef-keeping hobby thanks to their colours and toughness, although many related genera are still poorly studied.21
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Zoanthus polyps contain proteins similar to the green fluorescent protein that makes jellyfish glow.2
- 2
Most zoanthids outside the family Zoanthidae build grains of sand into their bodies for support.1
- 3
Some zoanthid genera have never been found again since they were first described.1
- 4
New polyps grow from runners and stay connected to the rest of the colony.1
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy (via Wikipedia)
- Genus Zoanthus Lamarck, 1801, the type genus of the family Zoanthidae and order Zoantharia; about 13 species listed.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Zoanthids. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingDepends on species, many feed from the light and the watervaries
- Salinity checkevery week
- Water testevery week
- Top-upTop up evaporation with fresh RO water, not salt waterevery day
- Water changeAbout 10 to 20% of the waterevery 2 weeks
- Light checkevery month
You might also like
Mushroom Coral
Green Star PolypsLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Zoanthid (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.orgused for common names, distribution, body, feeding, reproduction, handling note, fun facts
- Zoanthus (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.orgused for taxonomy, species, fluorescent proteins, hobby popularity, history
- Colony Polyp Coral, Zoanthus (LiveAquaria care sheet) liveaquaria.comused for care level, light, flow, spacing, colours, feeding, supplements
- Assorted Colored Mushroom Coral (LiveAquaria care sheet) liveaquaria.comused for general reef water values
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.