Cotton Candy Apple Zoa

About this coral

Cotton Candy Apple Zoa are live zoanthid polyps for marine reef aquariums, sold under this shop name as a zoanthid/palythoa-type coral in the “Zoanthids & Palys” category. As a colonial soft coral, they’re typically added to live rock to establish new colonies and bring vivid, polyp-based color to the aquascape. Use them as a manageable centerpiece or color accent in tanks that can provide stable reef conditions and appropriate light and water movement—general guidance applies to zoanthids/palythoas as a group.

Features:

• Colonial zoanthid/palythoa-style polyps that add bold, “button polyp” color to reef displays.
• Generally considered beginner-friendly for stable reef keepers, with care focused on consistent tank conditions rather than complex husbandry.
• Prefer low-to-moderate lighting and moderate flow to help keep debris from settling and to encourage open polyps.
• Best started on a stable surface (often lower in the tank) and acclimated gradually to your lighting.
• Non-aggressive toward nearby tankmates, but can expand over time on suitable rock surfaces.
• Use safe handling practices when working around zoanthids/palythoas, as these corals can be associated with palytoxin risk in aquarium settings.

Specifications:

• Care level (group guidance): Beginner-friendly (zoanthids/palythoas general care)
• Lighting (group guidance): Low to moderate light (often lower-to-middle placement in the tank) ([reefcultureco.com](https://reefcultureco.com/pages/zoanthid-coral-care-guide?utm_source=openai))
• Water flow (group guidance): Moderate flow ([reefbuilders.com](https://reefbuilders.com/2024/12/18/zoanthid-palythoa-intro-care-guide/?utm_source=openai))
• Temperature (group guidance): 75–78°F ([bulkreefsupply.com](https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/coral-care-guide-zoanthids?utm_source=openai))
• Salinity (group guidance): 1.025–1.026 specific gravity ([bulkreefsupply.com](https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/coral-care-guide-zoanthids?utm_source=openai))
• pH (group guidance): 8.1–8.4 ([topshelfaquatics.com](https://topshelfaquatics.com/pages/corals/tsa-peacock-palythoas-colony-coral?utm_source=openai))
• Alkalinity (group guidance): 8–12 dKH ([reefbuilders.com](https://reefbuilders.com/2024/12/18/zoanthid-palythoa-intro-care-guide/?utm_source=openai))
• Calcium (group guidance): 400–450 ppm ([reefbuilders.com](https://reefbuilders.com/2024/12/18/zoanthid-palythoa-intro-care-guide/?utm_source=openai))
• Magnesium (group guidance): 1250–1350 ppm ([reefbuilders.com](https://reefbuilders.com/2024/12/18/zoanthid-palythoa-intro-care-guide/?utm_source=openai))
• Safety note: Take precautions when handling zoanthids/palythoas due to potential palytoxin exposure risk; avoid aerosolizing or splashing tank water/zoanthids during maintenance. ([ornamentalfish.org](https://ornamentalfish.org/what-we-do/advice-information/care-sheets/caresheets-marine-fish/how-to-avoid-palytoxin-poisoning-if-you-keep-corals/?utm_source=openai))