Violet zoanthids (Zoanthus sansibaricus) are colonial reef-building cnidarians. They form dense mats of small, button-like polyps connected by a shared tissue, spreading across rocks and reef surfaces in shallow tropical waters. Each polyp extends short tentacles to capture plankton while also relying on symbiotic zooxanthellae for energy through photosynthesis. Hardy and adaptable, Z. sansibaricus thrives in a range of light and flow conditions, which makes it especially common and popular in both natural reefs and marine aquariums.