Green Button Polyp

About

Found across shallow Indo-Pacific reef systems, Palythoa mutuki is a colonial zoanthid that grows in encrusting mats, spreading polyp by polyp over rock and rubble from the surface down to around 28 meters. Like other members of the Palythoa group, individual polyps tend to be fleshy and relatively large compared to their Zoanthus cousins, often with a somewhat muted, earthy coloration rather than the vivid neons you see in other zoanthid genera. That understated look is part of what makes identifying them trickier in a crowded reef tank, but the growth form, dense, tightly packed colonies with polyps embedded in a shared mat of tissue, is a reliable clue. In the aquarium, this species is considered a solid beginner coral. It tolerates moderate lighting and moderate flow without much fuss, and once settled it tends to spread steadily across available surfaces. As with all palythoas, it is worth handling with care during tank maintenance, since zoanthids in this group can carry palytoxin and should never come into contact with open skin or eyes. Beyond that precaution, it is an undemanding and rewarding coral for anyone building out their first reef.