Rainbow hornets zoanthids

Community submission by Phu Huynh

Rainbow Hornets Zoanthids are a high-impact collector morph — multiple colors in concentric zones on each polyp, and under blue-heavy reef lighting the fluorescence makes each head look like it's lit from inside. Bottom placement with medium light and moderate indirect flow; the multicolor expression is sensitive to PAR levels, and too much light will wash out the subtler secondary colors in the pattern. Growth is moderate for zoanthids which helps with colony management, but Rainbow Hornets are a target for zoa-eating nudibranchs specifically because high-value morphs tend to get fragged and traded more often, spreading pests through the hobby — dip every new coral before it goes in the tank. Feed weekly with broadcast zooplankton or fine coral food and check monthly for nudibranch eggs hidden around the colony base; catching pests early is the difference between a small dip treatment and losing a colony you paid serious money for.