Sunny D Zoa Gr25

Sunny D Zoa

Sunny D is a proper old-school zoa — one of the longest-standing colour morphs in the hobby, and still one of the most recognisable. Each polyp has a bright blue-green mouth surrounded by rings of metallic orange fading into gold, with a purple skirt finishing it off. In the right light the gold edge really lifts, giving the colony a warm, sunlit look that’s hard to mistake for anything else.

They’re an easy-going coral and a sensible pick if you’re building out a zoa garden or just want a reliable splash of colour that won’t demand much of you. Given decent conditions they spread at a good pace, budding into a mat over time.

Care basics

• Lighting: Low to moderate. Very high light can cause the polyps to stay closed or lose colour, so if you’re running strong LEDs, give this one some shade lower in the tank.
• Flow: Moderate. Enough to stop detritus settling on the polyps, without battering them.
• Water chemistry: Standard reef parameters — stable calcium, alkalinity and magnesium matter more than any one number being “perfect.”
• Feeding: Not required, but occasional small-particle feeding can help growth and colour along.
• Handling: Like all zoanthids, Sunny D produces palytoxin. Never handle out of water, and wear gloves when fragging or moving it.