Blue-Eyed Blondie

Blue-Eyed Blondie is a Zoanthus strain with a yellow face and skirt set around a blue centre, the classic blonde-with-blue-eyes combination its name promises. The yellow is warm and buttery rather than neon, which makes the blue eye stand out all the more, and colonies brighten a whole section of rock. It is a tier 2 strain with a long following, valued as a reliable yellow zoa in a colour family where true yellows are not common.

Care

Keep it low to mid in the tank under medium light and medium flow through the mat. It is easy and fast growing when conditions suit it: measurable nutrients in the system, since zoanthids sulk in ultra-clean water, and stable alkalinity. Flow should sweep the mat without folding the polyps over. Because it grows fast, check periodically that the colony is not shading itself at the centre or spilling onto neighbours sooner than expected.

Keeping and spread

Blue-Eyed Blondie spreads quickly by mat growth, so give it a full 2 in of space and a plan for its mature size. Its aggression is moderate, but fast coverage alone can smother slower neighbours the mat overruns. Keeping it on a separate rock island makes management simple. To frag, cut the mat between polyps, mount a section on a plug or rubble, and it will typically attach and resume its fast spread readily.