Cosmoflower Zoa Care Guide
Cosmoflower is a designer Zoanthus morph with a teal skirt and orange center; a photosynthetic, peaceful, reef-safe zoanthid for low-flow placements.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cosmoflower is a named aquacultured colour morph of the zoanthid genus Zoanthus, with a metallic teal skirt and an orange center. Zoanthids are colonial polyps that spread to cover rock with brightly coloured circular patterns. Like other zoanthids it is zooxanthellate, hosting symbiotic algae that supply most of its energy through photosynthesis.
Taxonomy
- Order: Zoantharia
- Family: Zoanthidae
- Genus: Zoanthus
- Scientific name: Zoanthus sp. 'Cosmoflower' (aquarium trade morph; not a formal species)
Biology
Zoanthids form encrusting colonies on hard substrate, spreading polyp by polyp. They are photosynthetic through their zooxanthellae but also capture fine particulate food. This morph is aquacultured rather than wild-collected.
Reef tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Lighting: 50-150 PAR (medium)
- Flow: low
- Recommended tank maturity: about 3 months
Care
Cosmoflower is rated intermediate. Keep it under moderate, stable lighting and gentle flow, and acclimate it gradually to a new tank's light. Although photosynthetic, it benefits from occasional fine feeding such as amino acids or fine reef foods a couple of times a week. Stable parameters and a matured tank promote good polyp extension and colour.
Compatibility
Zoanthids are peaceful and considered reef-safe, coexisting with fish, shrimp and most corals. They lack strong stinging tentacles but can spread over neighbours, so leave room between colonies.
Cosmoflower Zoa Propagation Guide
Overview
Cosmoflower is a designer Zoanthus morph with a metallic-teal skirt and an orange centre. It belongs to the genus Zoanthus (family Zoanthidae) and grows as a colony of button polyps connected by a shared tissue mat. The colony is photosynthetic and spreads over rock under stable reef parameters, so it is propagated by dividing established clonal growth.
Reproductive Mode
Hobby increase of Cosmoflower is asexual. Polyps bud from the connecting stolon, expanding the colony outward, and fragging removes sections of that clonal mat. Reproducing the morph this way preserves its metallic-teal and orange coloration in daughter colonies.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Following Reef Builders, score the tissue around the polyps with a razor blade and trace the line with coral cutters until the section frees, staying as close to the base as possible. A frag carried on its plug or disc gives a firm gluing surface and protects the polyps' internal structures.
- Wear gloves and eye protection before any out-of-water step.
- Score the stolon mat between polyps with a fresh razor blade.
- Trace the cut with coral cutters until the frag detaches near the base.
- Dry the plug and frag base, add a small dab of glue, and seat the frag gently.
- Return it, baster off mucus, and let it re-anchor and bud new polyps.
Conditions for Propagation
- Lighting: 50-150 PAR (medium)
- Flow: low
- Temperature: 24-26 degC
- pH: 8.1-8.4; salinity 1.024-1.026
- Nitrate below 15 ppm, phosphate below 0.1 ppm
Palytoxin Safety
Palytoxin is documented in Zoanthus and Palythoa, and aquarists have been poisoned handling colonies at home. There is no antidote, so protective equipment is the only reliable safeguard during propagation.
Common Challenges
Glue creeping onto the skirt, cuts that damage internal structures, and unstable parameters that keep polyps closed are the usual reasons frags stall. Use minimal glue, cut cleanly near the base, and hold chemistry steady until new polyps appear.