Sun Zoanthid

About

The Sun Zoanthid (Palythoa grandis) is a colonial soft coral native to the reef environments of the Western Central Atlantic, with a documented presence along the Costa Rican coastline. Like other palythoas, it grows as a mat of fleshy polyps connected at the base, each individual expanding to reveal a disc rimmed with short, blunt tentacles. The common names it goes by, button polyps, cinnamon polyp, and even giant colonial anemone, hint at both its appearance and the confusion that tends to follow zoanthids around in the hobby. In the wild it occupies tropical reef-associated habitats, and in the aquarium it adapts well to moderate lighting and moderate flow, making it one of the more forgiving soft coral options for a reef tank. Palythoas as a group are worth handling with care, since many species in this genus contain palytoxin, a potent compound that can cause serious irritation on contact with mucous membranes or open skin. Gloves and eye protection are genuinely good habits when fragging or handling any palythoa. Within those sensible precautions, the Sun Zoanthid is a reasonable choice for a newer reef keeper looking to add colonial polyps to their system.