Fire and Ice Zoas

General information

Fire and Ice Zoas (Zoanthus sp.) are a beautiful species of Zoanthid that have brilliant steel blue and red coloration. With its easiness to care and feed, it is an excellent choice for beginner reef aquarists. Many of them caught from deeper locations on the reef. The environment of deep reef species is often challenging to reproduce in the aquarium environment completely. However, in the case of Fire and Ice Zoas many hobbyists have had success by placing them lower in the aquarium in a location that receives strong but filtered lighting.

Fire and Ice Zoas also tend to do better when kept at more moderate water temperatures ranging from 72° to 76° F. These conditions are recommended as a good starting point when first introducing this species to the reef aquarium. Given time and gradual adjustments, hobbyists should be able to identify the ideal location in which to keep Fire and Ice Zoas in their reef aquarium.

Zoanthus gigantus are not batch spawners

Requires moderate light levels combined with medium water movement within the aquarium.

Indo-Pacific including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.

Some Zoanthids and Palythoa contain a powerful neurotoxin called palytoxin which can be extremely harmful if it comes in contact with your blood stream. Take special care handling polyps and avoid handling if you have an open cut on your hands. When handling any type of polyp make sure to wear gloves and protective eyeglasses.

Zoanthus gigantus have a wide range of habitat. They are naturally found in estuaries, lagoons, brackishwater areas up to the edges of the reef. So before placing them on a saltwater tank, it is best that your acclimation starts on brackishwater with salinity ranging from 20 - 22 ppt and slowly increasing it to your ambient tank salinity.