Bloodshot

Bloodshot is a Zoanthus strain with a deep red face and dark to black speckle concentrated around the centre, giving each polyp a bruised, intense look true to its name. The red is richer and less candy-like than most red zoas, and the dark centre keeps the colony from reading flat. It is a tier 2 strain, collected by keepers who favour the darker red end of the palette and want a red that still has pattern at close range.

Care

Keep Bloodshot low to mid-rockwork under medium light and medium flow through the mat. Provide measurable nutrients in the water; zoanthids sulk in ultra-clean water, and deep colours are usually the first thing to dull when a colony is underfed. Keep alkalinity stable and placement consistent. Growth is moderate, so judge progress over months: a widening mat and fully expanded polyps mean the spot and the water are right.

Keeping and spread

Bloodshot spreads by mat growth, gradually claiming rock around the original frag. Leave about 2 in of space for that expansion, because its moderate aggression plays out through overgrowth: slower neighbours in the path of the mat can be smothered. If you want it contained, isolate it on its own rock. Frag by cutting the mat between polyps and mounting the piece on a plug, then let it heal in stable, familiar conditions.