Soft corals

beginner

Zoanthids and palythoa

Zoanthus spp. / Palythoa spp.

Quick reference

Min tank size

10 US gal

10 gal — nano-tank friendly. Stable in pico setups (5 gal) when chemistry is locked.

PAR

50–150 µmol/m²/s

Flow

medium

Placement

Anywhere — adapt to most flow and light. Will close up if conditions are very off.

Temperature

75–80 °F

Salinity

1.024–1.026 SG

8.0–8.4

Alkalinity

7–11 dKH (tolerant)

Calcium

400–450 ppm

Magnesium

1,250–1,400 ppm

Feeding

Photosynthetic. Optional Reef Roids or coral foods. Most zoas don't need feeding to thrive.

Compatibility

Spread aggressively — can outcompete neighbors. Sundial snails and zoa-eating nudibranchs are major pests.

What kills it

Sundial snails (eat them at night). Aiptasia overgrowth. Sudden temperature/salinity changes. Astreopora-style chemical warfare from neighbors.

Common mistakes

•Handling palys with bare hands. Wear gloves, work in ventilated area, never boil rock.
•Placing under very high PAR — bleaches them and washes out color.

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Equipment & food for this species

Soft corals don't strictly need feeding. Reef Roids help if you want faster growth.

CoralRx Pro coral dip

Iodine-based dip. Kills AEFW, red bugs, flatworms.

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Polyplab Reef Roids coral food

Powder coral food. LPS / chalice / Goniopora staple.