A zoa frag is a small piece of Zoanthids (Zoanthus spp.), a type of soft coral made up of tiny flower-like polyps. They’re super popular in reef aquariums because they’re:

🌈 Extremely colorful (green, blue, orange, purple, rainbow morphs)

🌱 Fast growing

🪸 Easy to frag and multiply

👍 Beginner-friendly coral

They basically form “coral carpets” or “zoa gardens” over time.

Size & Growth

Frag size: usually 1–5 polyps on a plug/rock

Growth: moderate to fast under good conditions

Can spread into large colonies over time

Tank Conditions

Zoas are hardy for marine corals, but still need stable reef parameters:

Temperature: 24 – 27°C

Salinity: 1.023 – 1.026

pH: 8.1 – 8.4

Alkalinity: stable (8–11 dKH ideal)

Nitrate: low–moderate (5–20 ppm is okay)

Phosphate: low but not zero

Lighting

Low to medium light (ideal for beginners)

Can adapt to higher light slowly

Too much light too fast → can cause zoa melting or shrinking

Flow

Moderate water flow

Enough to keep detritus off polyps

Avoid blasting direct strong current

Feeding

Zoas don’t strictly need feeding, but benefit from:

Phytoplankton

Reef roids / coral powders

Dissolved organic nutrients in tank water

They also get energy from zooxanthellae (light-based symbiosis).

Tank Mates

Safe with most reef-safe animals:

Clownfish

Gobies

Shrimp (cleaner, peppermint)

Snails & reef-safe crabs

Avoid:

Angelfish (may nip zoas)

Butterflyfish

Coral-eating nudibranchs

Care Tips (Important ⚠️)

Give space — zoas can spread and overgrow nearby corals

Dip new frags to prevent pests (zoa-eating nudibranchs)

Stable parameters matter more than strong light

Don’t handle with bare hands (some contain palytoxin)

Why Zoa Frags Are Popular

Instant color in reef tanks 🌈

Beginner-friendly coral

Easy to trade/sell once grown

Great for “zoa garden” aquascapes