Mat zoanthid (Zoanthus pulchellus) care guide

Group
Corals
Other names
Zoanthids, Zoas, Green sea mat
Family
Zoanthidae
Origin
Caribbean and western Atlantic; shallow reef flats
Water
saltwater
Temperature
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
dKH 8–12
Care level
beginner
Reef safe
yes
Lighting
Moderate; about PAR 80–150 (Top Shelf Aquatics)
Flow
Medium, indirect

Care

A colonial zoanthid whose small polyps are joined by a shared base, forming dense mats over rock. The wild form is usually green or brown; captive colour morphs of Zoanthus are traded under many names, such as the "Bowzer" zoanthids Top Shelf Aquatics profiles. Placement: low to middle of the tank, ideally on its own rock so the colony can spread without overgrowing others. Light and flow: moderate light and medium, indirect flow that keeps the polyps swaying and free of detritus. Bring new frags up to brighter light over two to three weeks. Water: LiveAquaria and Top Shelf rate zoanthids easy. Iodine and trace elements help colour. Recession is often linked to very low nutrients or sudden changes. Growth: fast in stable conditions. LiveAquaria and Top Shelf give figures for Zoanthus in general rather than this species. Safety: zoanthids and palythoa can contain palytoxin, a very potent toxin. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling or fragging them, keep cuts away from the tissue, and never boil, scrub or pressure-wash rock that carries them. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/colony-polyp-zoanthus-corals); Top Shelf Aquatics (topshelfaquatics.com/pages/corals/bowzer-zoanthids-coral). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Mainly photosynthetic. Fine foods such as zooplankton, rotifers or powdered coral food once or twice a week help growth; LiveAquaria notes feeding matters more under weak lighting.

Breeding

Easy. Cut through the shared base between polyps with a scalpel or snip off a few polyps on a piece of rock, then glue the base to a plug. Wear gloves and eye protection (see the palytoxin warning). Colonies also spread by budding.

Compatibility and tank mates

Semi-aggressive: short sweeper tentacles can sting neighbours and the mat can overgrow slower corals. Allow 5–10 cm. Some angelfish, butterflyfish and nudibranchs eat zoanthids; watch for zoa-eating sea spiders and nudibranchs on new frags.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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