Rare Zoanthids » Orange Zoas

Creamsicle

Wei — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:45:51 +0000

If you want to talk about N-I-C-E orange zoas, you have to check out the Creamsicles. I’m not sure where the origin of the name came from but whoever named them must have thought these resembled the old school popsicles or something. In a way, I guess they do.

The center of the Creamsicles do not pop as much as say… Eagle Eyes or Dragon Eyes, but they are definitely colorful in terms of orange zoas.

If you’re looking to acquire these beauties, you can probably find a good number of them in your local community – just check out your local reef club or online coral forums.

Fire and Ice

Wei — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:36:11 +0000

There’s something special about combining two opposing elements that’s just unexplainable. Yin and Yang, Sun and the moon, Fire and Ice, you get the idea.

The Fire and Ice zoa has a fiery red/orange skirt along with a light blue body. The mix of colors has dubbed this as the Fire and Ice zoanthid and is another one of the commonly traded zoas in the hobby.

Fire and Ice zoas grow rather quickly and do not require intensive care like some of the slower growing zoas. These do well under medium, sporadic currents and will work under PC’s or metal halides

Dragon Eyes

Wei — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:06:57 +0000

Dragon Eyes is one of the most distinctive orange zoas in the hobby. A great colony is kept under MH and actinics and the orange body will really pop under the right conditions. I’d imagine dragon eyes were named for their intensity and what seems like an intense stare from the mythical beast. There’s just something about the orange body and the black and white rings around the body makes this zoa really fiercesome. I’m guessing the green skirts also help blend the zoa to the dragon scales.

If you’d like to get this zoa, you are in luck. These zoanthids grow very easily and are widely traded in the hobby as of the writing. If you’re looking for some, please feel free to leave a comment below.

True Eagle Eyes

Wei — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:23:26 +0000

True Eagle Eye Zoas are really something when you get them in your collection. Compared with their darker, deeper morph (the watermelon zoas), the Eagle Eyes cast a bright orange stare that sometimes hipnotizes you when you stare at them. It always amazes me how people can see different things in a circle filled with different colors but I must admit, when you look at this zoa, it really does feel like you’re staring into the eyes of an eagle or some predatory bird.

Eagle Eyes can be defined by their light green skirt, gray mouth, orange plate and a bold dark ring around the main zoa body (plate). Luckily for beginners, this is one of the more traded zoas in the hobby and they grow pretty easily under normal home reef conditions. If you are looking for some Eagle Eyes to trade or frag, please leave some comments below.