Overcrowded, culling Palys/Zoas

[UKReefer67]

Hello All, this is my Evo 13 which has been running since March 20. The big brown clump of palys is getting out of control and is ugly. I would like to cull them but have read that they can be toxic and also very hard to get rid of. I dont want to get rid of the whole rock of I can help it as it has some other nice corals on it albeit getting a bit smothered at the moment! Please share your experiences and thoughts - is it cruel to cull a coral!?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Is it cruel? That's one that depends on your personal ethics. They are living animals after all.

My first idea would be to use a tile saw to cut the rock and try to remove as much of the palys as you don't want. Try to sell the cut off portion.

Killing the palys can be a bit dangerous as they do produce a toxin that can be harmful at best and very dangerous or deadly at worst. Handle them while wearing gloves. The individual paly polyps can squirt fluid when squeezed or scraped. So protect your eyes. I have a fried who had a serious eye injury from just wiping his eye after working with palys.