King Tut Zoa Care Guide
A slow-growing collector Zoanthus morph with a golden skirt, orange ring and turquoise center; a photosynthetic encrusting zoanthid for reef tanks.
Overview
King Tut Zoa is a named color morph of Zoanthus, a colonial zoanthid in the family Zoanthidae. The morph is recognized by a golden skirt, an orange ring and a turquoise center, and is a slow grower favored by collectors. Zoanthids form colonies of small polyps that spread across rock as an encrusting mat and are commonly called zoas or button polyps.
Taxonomy
- Phylum: Cnidaria; Class: Anthozoa (Hexacorallia); Order: Zoantharia
- Family: Zoanthidae
- Genus: Zoanthus Lamarck, 1801
- Scientific name: Zoanthus sp. 'King Tut' (aquacultured designer morph)
Biology
Zoanthus is a zooxanthellate genus: the polyps host symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) and obtain most of their energy from photosynthesis, supplemented by capturing fine food particles with their tentacles. Polyps are connected by shared tissue and reproduce asexually by budding, allowing a colony to spread over a rock surface.
Tank requirements
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: below ~15 ppm; Phosphate: below ~0.1 ppm
- Lighting: medium, around 50-150 PAR
- Flow: low to moderate (enough to keep detritus off the polyps)
- Minimum tank maturity: about 3 months
Care and placement
Zoanthids tolerate a range of lighting spectrums and intensities; medium light suits this morph. They benefit from moderate flow, since low-flow areas allow detritus and algae films to settle on the polyps. They are peaceful and reef-safe with other corals, fish and invertebrates. As a slower-growing encrusting coral it gradually spreads across the rock.
Feeding
The colony is primarily photosynthetic through its zooxanthellae. Optional target feeding with fine foods such as phytoplankton or zooplankton, roughly twice a week, can support growth, but is not strictly required.