Palythoa Grandis
Palythoa grandis(Verrill, 1900)Species
Large-polyped Palythoa species. Brown to green large polyps form colonies. Very hardy and tolerant of water quality changes. Popular soft coral for beginners.
Names & Synonyms
- CommonPalythoa Grandis
- Commonオオマルハナギンチャク
- SynonymProtopalythoa grandis
Overview
Palythoa grandis (family Sphenopidae) is a colonial hexacoral (a button-polyp/zoanthid relative) distributed across Atlantic and Caribbean reefs, bearing especially large polyps for the genus. Large polyps several centimeters across cluster together, showing greens, browns, and golds. It is relatively easy to keep, tolerating moderate lighting and gentle to moderate flow. Feeding is optional, though the thick polyps may capture small seafood pieces. Because Palythoa can contain the potent toxin palytoxin, never handle it with bare hands, wash thoroughly afterward, and never boil or use hot water on it—strict safety precautions are essential. It can be propagated by fragging, but toxin precautions during handling are especially important for this species.
Care Specifications
| Temperature | 24〜27℃ |
|---|---|
| Specific gravity | 1.023〜1.025 |
| Salinity | 33〜35 ppt |
| KH (carbonate hardness) | 8〜12 dKH |
| Lighting | Medium |
| Water flow | Medium |
| Placement | Middle |
Care Points
- Lighting—Low to medium light sufficient
- Flow—Low to medium
- Feeding—Feed chopped shrimp or squid directly to polyps
- Notes—Contains palytoxin. Never handle with bare hands
Regulatory & Conservation
- Notes:
- スナギンチャク目(Palythoa grandis, Zoantharia)。CITES 非掲載。
Sources
- AlgaeBarn: Water Parameters 101(careSpec)
- DOC NZ / CITES-listed corals(Zoantharia 非掲載)(regulatory)
- Wikipedia(detail)
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