AOI Zoa
Small polyps with nice blue yellow contrast.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Small
Zoanthid Identification Guide
Zoanthid names can be confusing because hobby trade names are not standardized, and similar-looking zoanthids may be sold under different names. Hundreds of named zoanthid varieties are found in the reef aquarium hobby, ranging from common varieties such as Rastas and Bam Bams to rarer collector strains.
This Zoanthid Identification Guide uses photographs and commonly observed characteristics to help compare popular zoanthid varieties. Appearance can vary considerably with aquarium lighting, nutrient levels, colony maturity and individual specimens, so trade-name identification should be treated as a visual reference rather than a scientific classification.
In addition to photographs and alternate names, each variety includes practical characteristics such as care difficulty, growth rate, color brightness and polyp size to help reef keepers compare different zoanthids.
Looking for Zoanthids? Browse our current Zoanthids for Sale to see available individually photographed zoanthid frags and colonies.
Awesome Blossom
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
Bam Bam Zoa
Fast Growing packing bright orange color.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Blondie Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Alternate Names: BEBB Zoa, Blue Eye Blonde Zoa
Bloodshot Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Slow
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Blue Hornet Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Small
Similar Varieties: Purple Hornets
Candy Apple Red Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Large
Similar Varieties: Candy Apple Orange Zoa, Candy Apple Pink Zoa
Daisy Cutter Zoanthid
A classic zoa with and interesting dark blue and white speckled face, orange mouth area, and green skirt.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Small
Eagle Eye Zoa
The skirt of Eagle Eye Zoas can be either green, yellowish-green, or yellow depending on tank conditions.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
Emeralds On Fire Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Similar Varieties: Goblins on Fire
Exospheres Zoanthid
Nice contrasting golden spots on midnight blue face and green skirt.
Care Difficulty: Medium
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
Fire and Ice Zoanthid
Reddish orange skirt with blue face. Near mouth white to yellowish white.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Small
Alternate Names: Snitch Zoanthid
Fruit Loop Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Fruitopia Zoa
Care Difficulty: Medium
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Small
God Beast Zoa
Very large polyps in hard to find yellow. Very interesting pattern on the lashes.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Gold Maul Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Slow
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Large
Alternate Names: Scarface Zoa
Gorilla Nipples Zoanthid
Orange center with blue and green face and dark purple skirt.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
Similar Varieties: Blow Pop Zoanthid
Halle Berry Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
King Midas Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Small
Koala Eyes Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Laser Lemon Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Small
LC Antimatter Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Magician Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Nightcrawler Zoanthid
Detailed reddish orange pattern on polyp face. Green and orange bands on skirt.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Omega Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
Oompa Loompa Zoa
A Classic large polyp bright zoa.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Large
Alternate Names: Electric Oompa Loompa Zoa
Orange Oxide Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Pink Diamond Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Pink Zipper Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Moderate
Polyp Size: Large
Playboy Bunny Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Alternate Names: PB Bunny
Purple People Eater Zoa
Fast growing often with interesting patterns on the stalks.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Low
Polyp Size: Large
Rainbow Hornet Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Small
Similar Varieties: Purple Hornet
Rainbow Incenerator
Green skirt with reddish orange face with dark ring.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Medium
Rasta Zoanthid
A classic zoa with a blue, green, and orange face and yellow skirt.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Similar Varieties: Bob Marley Zoa
Scrambled Egg Zoa
Fast growing true yellow zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Alternate Names: Scrambled Eggs Zoa
Space Chaos Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Similar Varieties: Strawberry Wine Zoa
Spitfire Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Medium
Stratosphere Zoa
For years this strain was know to melt easily but in recent years a hardier strain is spreading in the hobby. Stunning yellow black purple color combination and spiral pattern is unique amongst zoa.
Care Difficulty: Medium
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Large
Similar Varieties: Queen Strat
Sunny D Zoanthid
A favorite classic zoa thanks to their intense coloration, large polyps, and ease of care.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Medium
Color Brightness: High
Polyp Size: Large
Super Saiyan Zoa
Super bright yellow skirt often with long lashes.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Very High
Polyp Size: Medium
Alternate Names: Super Sunflower Zoa
Taser Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Tubbs Blue Zoanthid
Hard to find blue zoanthid that has been in the hobby many years. Small polyps and fast growing.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Fast
Color Brightness: Low
Polyp Size: Small
Utter Chaos Zoa
One of the brightest Zoas! Morphs a lot depending on lighting. More white lighter coloration under higher light.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Very High
Polyp Size: Large
VDM Zoa
Darth Maul has more of a speckled appearance although VDM can develop a moderate amount of speckles.
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Bright
Polyp Size: Large
Similar Varieties: Darth Maul
White Zombie Zoa
Care Difficulty: Easy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Color Brightness: Medium
Polyp Size: Large
Alternate Names: Salted Agave, Seductions
How to Identify Zoanthids
Zoanthid identification is usually based on a combination of appearance, polyp size, color pattern and known hobby lineage. Many varieties have distinctive combinations of skirt color, oral disc coloration and mouth color, but individual colonies can look different under different aquarium lighting and conditions.
Trade names such as Rasta, Bam Bam, Utter Chaos and Hornet are hobby names rather than scientific classifications. The same name may occasionally be used for slightly different-looking corals, while similar zoanthids may be sold under different names by different vendors. For this reason, photographs and visible characteristics should be used as a guide rather than as definitive identification.
Zoanthid Care Difficulty and Growth Rate
Zoanthids are often considered relatively easy reef aquarium corals, although care requirements vary between varieties. Some strains grow rapidly and can form large colonies, while others grow much more slowly. Lighting, water chemistry, nutrient availability and placement can all influence growth rate and coloration.
The care difficulty, growth rate, color brightness and polyp size ratings in this guide are intended to make it easier to compare commonly available zoanthid varieties. These characteristics can vary between aquariums, so the ratings should be treated as general observations rather than fixed measurements.
Why Zoanthid Colors Can Look Different
Zoanthid coloration can change dramatically depending on aquarium lighting. Blue-heavy reef lighting often emphasizes fluorescent pigments, while whiter-spectrum lighting can make the underlying colors and patterns easier to compare. When available, this guide includes both primary and white-light photographs to provide a more complete view of each variety.
Looking for Zoanthids?
Browse our Zoanthids for Sale to see currently available varieties and individually photographed zoanthid frags. Our inventory changes regularly as new colors and collector varieties become available.