Utter Chaos
Zoanthus sp.
Species profile
Charming Charlie
Zoanthus sp.
Also sold as: Charming Charlie zoa, Charming Charlie zoanthid
Charming Charlie is a zoanthid with a speckled orange-gold face, a lavender-white center, a dark slash and long slate-blue tentacles.
Colors
Lavender-white center around a pale mouth; a dark slash across the face; an orange-gold disc speckled with dark dots; a pale cream edge; and long, curling slate blue-gray tentacles
Care at a glance
Care level
Easy
Light
Medium
75-150 PAR
Flow
Moderate
Growth rate
Moderate
Placement
Lower to middle rockwork, ideally a spot near the front of the tank where the speckled faces can be seen up close
Temperature
75 to 80°F (24 to 27°C)
Salinity
1.024-1.026 specific gravity (about 32-35 ppt)
Feeding
Mostly light-fed, with optional fine foods once or twice a week.
Photosynthetic; optional fine particulate food once or twice a week
Care notes
A dark-speckled orange-gold face surrounds a lavender-white center with a dark slash across it, and long, curling slate blue-gray tentacles make the polyps look larger than they are. Under strong blue light the colors look more intense, and under whiter light they look softer. Care values here are typical for zoanthids, not measured for this morph: medium light, moderate, indirect flow and steady water. Give a new frag time to settle before judging its growth or color, and if it starts to pale, move it lower rather than changing several things at once. Zoa trade names are used loosely, and colonies sold under this name can look different, so buy from photos of the actual colony.
⚠ Palytoxin safety
Like any zoanthid, Charming Charlie may contain palytoxin, so treat it as toxic. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling or fragging, and wash up afterward.
