What coral is this?

[rareeff]

Hello, can any of you tell me what coral this is? It was a hitchhiker on a frag that I recently bought. Apologies on the low quality photo, my tank is finishing up recovery from a bacteria bloom and is still slightly cloudy. Thanks in advance

 

[TX_REEF]

appears to be palythoa. They can spread aggressively, and produce toxins that can be extremely dangerous if damaged.

 

[VintageReefer]

Commonly called button polyps. They can spread rapidly and in time smother corals and take up any free space you have. It’s not an emergency thing, but keep an eye out for them “taking over”

 

[Lavey29]

appears to be palythoa. They can spread aggressively, and produce toxins that can be extremely dangerous if damaged.

Kinda reminds me more of aptasia

 

[Lavey29]

Commonly called button polyps. They can spread rapidly and in time smother corals and take up any free space you have. It’s not an emergency thing, but keep an eye out for them “taking over”

Interesting, I have similar in my tank but treat them like aptasia

 

[Mechano]

Coral is a palythoa….basically the coral version of aptasia haha. They also bother other corals when they touch and they ain’t nothing great to look at either

 

[FernFish]

Throw it back in the ocean lol

 

[FernFish]

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Yeah throw those things back in the ocean haha

 

[rareeff]

Commonly called button polyps. They can spread rapidly and in time smother corals and take up any free space you have. It’s not an emergency thing, but keep an eye out for them “taking over”

So a nuisance coral... was hoping that was not the case. Since it is attached to the same frag as my other coral, I'm assuming I should take them off before they smother it?

 

[VintageReefer]

Not aiptasia. Palythoa. Comes in different colors. The green ones are nice. Fortunately mine came on rocks I was able to isolate and I have 3 varieties

1) these surprisingly have not multiplied too fast. Started as 1 and after a year I have this

2) these also have not multiplied fast, but instead have grown large 2” stalks with 1” or larger polyps

Both are on individual rocks adjacent

3) these are nearly identical to number 1, but multiplied rapidly! I can’t tell where their rock starts or ends. But they are very nice in person

 

[VintageReefer]

I also keep palythoa grandis, it’s not invasive. Some seek it out due to its large polyps and color patterns. When I bought this it had 8 polyps. Some of these are almost 2” across. It’s like a zoanthid on steroids. And it eats almost any food I offer it

 

[rareeff]

Not aiptasia. Palythoa. Comes in different colors. The green ones are nice. Fortunately mine came on rocks I was able to isolate and I have 3 varieties

1) these surprisingly have not multiplied too fast. Started as 1 and after a year I have this

2) these also have not multiplied fast, but instead have grown large 2” stalks with 1” or larger polyps

Both are on individual rocks adjacent

3) these are nearly identical to number 1, but multiplied rapidly! I can’t tell where their rock starts or ends. But they are very nice in person

Yours are beautiful! So as long as I isolate it from other corals I shouldn't have a problem with it?

 

[VintageReefer]

Yours are beautiful! So as long as I isolate it from other corals I shouldn't have a problem with it?

Thanks! Yes if you isolate it should be fine. The wont spread across sand, they will spread along the rock they are on. You can feed them to make them grow faster and color up. Mine started rather plain, but give them food and good conditions and they can develop into something better. These pics are the same palythoa, just under 2 years ago

 

[VintageReefer]

Crazy to see other corals as babies in those pics. The favia in the above pic became this

 

[Saltycorgis]

We keep ours on a separate rock.