Grey Colonial Zoanthid

About

Found on shallow reef flats and exposed reef crests throughout the Indo-Pacific, Palythoa tuberculosa is a colonial zoanthid that grows as thick, encrusting mats embedded with sand and debris in its mesoglea. The tissue that connects individual polyps. This incorporation of sediment into the colony structure is a hallmark of the genus and gives the mat a rough, warty texture that distinguishes it from the smoother Zoanthus relatives you might keep nearby. In the wild it tolerates considerable surge and can be found from the surface down to around 20 meters, which hints at its adaptable nature. In a reef tank it tends to be forgiving and is a reasonable choice for someone newer to keeping zoanthids, provided water quality is reasonably stable. Moderate flow and moderate lighting suit it well, and like other palythoa it will spread over rockwork given time and space. One important note for any keeper: palythoa colonies are well known for producing palytoxin, one of the more potent natural toxins around, so you should always handle them carefully, wear gloves, and avoid any situation where colony tissue could be aerosolized. This is not something to be casual about regardless of experience level.