What is this?

[Tonynlo]

I I ordered a green toadstool from LA and when my girlfriend was unpacking it, she noticed some other type of coral attached to the rock. The picture is pretty poor and I can't make out the color. I am not home to look at it but it has gotten me curious. She describes it as a "peachy pink" color and it is not "icky slimey feeling" and feels like closed zoas... I am leaning towards a zoa colony but I haven't seen the rock yet.

Any guesses?

 

[Gravesj1s]

palythoa-aka seamat

 

[Tonynlo]

Hmm... should I take the toadstool off of this rock?

 

[Gravesj1s]

Naw,I dont think it'd be an issue.I like it anyway.

Ive had some along time ago.It use to be pretty common coming out of the carribean on live rock but you dont see it as often anymore or atleast I haven't seen it much.
A plus for a change as hitchiking goes.

 

[Jacwil]

I'm not totally convinced...the tissue seems much too symmetrical and orderly for Z's or P's...anxious to see if and when it opens up and acclimates.

 

[Gravesj1s]

Yeah ,I hear ya.I think its just because the short terms most of us use that it might not make sense. This may help.

Things like tubbsblue, watermelon ,eagle eyes we usally refer to as zoas-Actually zoaanthus.

Other larger ones like nuclear greens ,purple deaths we usally just say palys,actually are protopalythoas.

The pic above is palythoa it grows in a mat like that ,I could be mistaken but thats how I remember it....I think..

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

yer right, G...

yer right, G...

it's Palythoa, Not the much more common Protopalythoa from the Pacific.
This coral most likely was grown out in someone elses reef aquarium. (Palythoa and Sarcophyton occur in different oceans.)

Palythoa is very toxic. Make sure not to get it's juices in your eye or a cut.