Firecracker

Firecracker is a Zoanthus strain with red and orange explosive speckle scattered across a dark face, each polyp looking like a burst of sparks against a dark background. The contrast between the dark disc and the bright flecks makes a colony unusually eye-catching for its size, especially under blue-heavy lighting. It is a Tier 3 collector name, kept for pattern intensity rather than polyp size.

Care

It requires medium lighting and medium flow, placed in the bottom to middle of the tank. Maintain measurable nutrients — zoanthids sulk in ultra-clean water — stable alkalinity, and flow moving through the mat to keep it clean. Rated intermediate in care difficulty, it does best with a gradual light acclimation and a stable position once placed, allowing the speckle pattern to show at its strongest.

Keeping and spread

Growth is fast and mat-forming, so colonies fill in and advance more quickly than the average Zoanthus. Leave about 2 in of space — more if neighbouring corals are slow — because a fast mat can smother slower neighbours. Aggression is moderate. Fragging is by cutting the mat between polyps and mounting the section; rapid growth means frags and the parent colony both recover quickly in moderate flow.