Green Palythoa Mix (on eggcrate)

🪸 Palythoa Coral – Description

• Type: Soft coral / Zoanthid (genus Palythoa)

• Common Names: Button polyps, Sea mats, or Paly corals

• Appearance:

  • Colonial coral with large, fleshy polyps connected by a mat (coenenchyme)

  • Colors range from brown and green to bright neon shades

  • Often have sand or debris embedded in their tissue

• Habitat: Found in shallow tropical reef environments, often in low-to-moderate light areas

• Behavior:

  • Hardy and fast-growing; can quickly cover rocks

  • Can be semi-aggressive and overgrow nearby corals

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

• Palytoxin: Extremely dangerous toxin found in some Palythoa species

  • Can cause serious illness or even death if inhaled, ingested, or enters cuts

  • Avoid boiling, scrubbing, or handling without gloves and eye protection

🌊 Palythoa Coral – Care Guidelines

• Lighting: Moderate to high; adaptable to different lighting levels

• Water Flow: Moderate; ensures debris doesn’t settle but not too strong to damage polyps

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 24–27°C (75–81°F)

  • Salinity: 1.023–1.025 SG

  • pH: 8.1–8.4

  • Nitrates: <10 ppm

  • Phosphates: <0.03 ppm

• Placement:

  • Lower or mid-level areas of the tank

  • Leave space around to prevent overgrowth on other corals

• Feeding:

  • Photosynthetic (via zooxanthellae algae) but benefits from occasional feeding

  • Offer microplankton, coral foods, or liquid phytoplankton occasionally

• Propagation:

  • Grows by spreading mats; can be fragged carefully (wear protective gear!)