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FAQs about Zoanthid Identification 2
Related Articles: Zoanthids,
Sea Mat: An Ocean Of Color For The Aquarium by Blane Perun,
Related FAQs: Zoanthid Identification 1,
Zoanthid ID 3,
Zoanthid ID 4, Zoanthid ID 5, &
Zoanthids, Zoanthids 2, Zoanthids
3, Zoanthid Behavior,
Zoanthid Compatibility, Zoanthid
Selection, Zoanthid System,
Zoanthid Lighting, Zoanthid
Feeding, Zoanthid Health,
Zoanthid Reproduction, | 
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Strange creature, cannot identify.. 7/6/07
Hello Crew,
<Crystal>
This site has been a lot of help for this first time salt
water hobbyist.
I would like you're help in the identification of
this little creature that has been growing on my live rock. It closes up
when disturbed, some what like a little ball. It appears to have a small
slit in the center, kind of like a mouth, and tiny tentacles coming from
the edges. It has not moved from this spot, so I believe it to be some
kind of tube worm, but cannot find a picture. Can you please give me
some kind of idea? I like to know about everything in my tank, and it is
driving me crazy to not understand what this is. Attached is somewhat of
a clear picture.
<It looks like a member of the Zoanthid family. See
here - http://wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm>
Thank you very much,
Crystal
<Pleasure, please resize your image to around 200kb next time
please. All the best, Olly> | 
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Hi There...ID Palythoa. – 6/17/07
Hi there,
<Hi there tipsy
Yoda, Mich here>
I tried looking for pictures, or questions being
asked about these anemones I have on my LR. I didn't find anything that
resembled these, so any help would be appreciated! I attached a picture,
I hope they aren't pests.. :(
<Nope not pests! A desirable soft
coral. Hopefully you have lighting for a reef setup. These are Button
Polyps (Palythoa spp.). They do contain a palytoxin which can be toxic
to humans, so best to wear gloves when handling these. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm and related links in blue.
Thank you in advance!
<Welcome! And of course... may the force be
with you.> |
Re: Hi There...ID Palythoa. – 06/18/07
I'm not tipsy. Yet. :)
<Heeheee!>
Thank you very much for such a quick response!
<Welcome!>
I have a 50/50 light, 7100k and 6000k actinic, is that
enough to keep those little guys alive?
<Likely so.>
And also
how badly can the toxin affect me, or tankmates?
<Well I wouldn't
eat'em! These are commonly kept in many reef tanks without incident.
Sort of like Nicotine, a concentrated drop could kill you, but many
people expose themselves repeatedly without obvious consequence.>
Thank you once again!
<Welcome! Mich> | 
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Coral ID Palythoa 3/28/07
Hey, can you help me ID this?
<Hey yah! I can help you ID this>
It has really started crowing
<Hee! And what does it crow about?>
and I am looking to frag it.
<Because it's growing? Hehehe!>
Thought I might find out more about
it before doing so.
<Even better to find out more about it before
assuming care responsibilities.>
I also would like to be able to
tell people I trade it too more
about it then it likes light like I
was told.
<A good philosophy! Is of the order Zoanthidea and of the
genus Palythoa. Does contain a neurotoxin called palytoxin. Please
wear gloves when fragging this coral. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i1/blane-zoanthids/zoanthids.htm >
Thanks,
<Welcome! -Mich>
Brad
PS I made sure the picture
was reasonable this time. <<unknown favorite(2).jpg>>
<Yes, thank
you for this!> | Coral
ID Palythoa Re: Identification - more pics 3/28/07
<Hi
Brad, Mich her again.>
Here are a few more pics of the coral I
asked for help to ID.
<Yes thank you.>
I think these are
better and show a clearer example of what I am trying to find out.
<Does indeed.>
I want to make sure I am properly taking care of
this animal and that I can advise others as I give some frags away
to my coworker and neighbor.
<Excellent!>
Thank you in
advance for your always awesome assistance. Not sure what I would
do if I couldn't read up on your website!
<Thank you for your
most kind words! -Mich>
Brad
PS I made sure these pictures
would not crash your server.
Again, thank you for this.> |
Re: Coral ID – 3/28/07
I looked up the toxin on
Wikipedia and it sounds pretty scary. Is what I am reading correct
or slightly exaggerated on the dying from exposure to it?
<You are reading about the extracted chemical is it's pure
form. Similar things are said for Nicotine. I know of only one
person, a wholesaler, who self reported a slight reaction after many
hours of fragging. I am aware of another who foolishly licked them
without incident.>
Maybe I should only send to advanced aquarist
whom know what Palytoxin is then?
<No, is commonly
traded in the hobby without issue. You should inform whomever you
trade with as it is important to be aware.>
I wonder if the guy
who fragged it for me knew and didn't tell me?
<Possible, it is
relatively common knowledge.>
Palytoxin is an incredibly complex
marine natural product containing 71 stereochemical elements.
Palytoxin, isolated from soft coral, is considered to be one of the
most toxic non-peptide substances known, second only to Maitotoxin.
Professor Yoshito Kishi's group at Harvard University first
synthesized palytoxin in 1994. This feat is still considered today
by many to be the greatest synthetic accomplishment ever.[1]
Palytoxin targets the sodium-potassium pump protein by binding to
the molecule such that the molecule is locked in a position where it
allows passive transport of both the sodium and potassium ions,
thereby
destroying the ion gradient that is essential for most
cells.
Typical symptoms of palytoxin poisoning are angina-like
chest pains, asthma-like breathing difficulties, tachycardia,
unstable blood pressure, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells),
and an electrocardiogram showing an exaggerated T wave. The onset of
symptoms is rapid, and death usually follows just minutes after.
Animal studies have shown that vasodilators, such as papverine and
isosorbide nitrate, can be used as antidotes. The animal experiments
only showed benefit if the antidotes were injected into the heart
immediately following exposure.[1] Treatment in humans is
symptomatic and supportive.
<Nicotine is an alkaloid found in
the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in
tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant
(aubergine), and green pepper. Nicotine alkaloids are also found in
the leaves of the coca plant. Nicotine constitutes 0.3 to 5% of the
tobacco plant by dry weight, with biosynthesis taking place in the
roots, and accumulating in the leaves. It is a potent
neurotoxin. Also from Wikipedia.com>
Brad
<Mich> | .jpg)
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Oops, try again... Help ID this frag, please? Zoanthid. 3/5/07
Hi -
<Hello there, Mich here.>
I got this little guy at my LFS
for $10. They said it was a rare yellow zoanthid.
<Hmm, does look
like a zoanthid.>
There were many other polyps growing out of a
large piece of LR, but not clustered like other zoos, more separate,
each to his own. This guy was on a separate little piece, so they sold
it to me. The bigger piece had maybe 15-20 polyps and was going for $80.
<ChaChing!>
I've never seen anything like it in zoos, looks more
like a sun coral, but they said it isn't.
<Not a sun coral.>
Any
ideas?
<Hmm, is a bit odd. Looks like someone took some scissors to
a yellow polyp (Parazoanthus sp.).>
Any links to more pics?
<Mmm, Google image search "yellow zoanthid">
Will it spread on its
own?
<It should given the right conditions.>
Does it need strong
light?
<I would start it low and move it up. Is possible that it
has lost some zooxanthellae which may explain it's unusual coloring.>
Thanks - I appreciate any help!
<Welcome! -Mich> | 
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Worrisome Looking Things & a Bonus! ID Zoanthids hitchhikers 2/4/07
Hi WWM Crew,
<Aloha David, Mich with you today.>
Long time
lurker, first time poster!
<Welcome lurker prime poster!>
With
your invaluable help and resource, I have setup a one month old
saltwater aquarium with the intents of going the FOWLR route.
<Live rock is your friend.>
In the 50-gallon breeder tank, all I've
got are a few snails to eat diatoms, two peppermint shrimp to eat some
Aiptasia, and about 40-pounds of Fijian Live Rock.
<Best to start
slowly.>
I am worried about one group of hitchhikers and excited
about another. I was hoping you might be able to help me properly
identify these creatures so that I might take care of them properly.
<Will try.>
The first is a small tree-like colony of anemone or
featherworm
look-alikes of under a centimeter in height. They're
tiny yet, in two or three groups, and growing on top of a rock that's
closest to the light.
<A polyp of some sort. Possible Yellow
Polyps (Parazoanthus sp.), but more likely Button Polyps (Palythoa sp)
or (Protopalythoa sp.).
Read more here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i1/blane-zoanthids/zoanthids.htm >
I don't think their photosynthetic, but I'm not sure. (They're submerged
about four inches from the water's surface, under 96W of compact
fluorescents - 10000K white and an actinic blue).
<They are
photosynthetic.>
I fear they may be some kind of hydroid that would
require extraction.
<Not hydroids. A desirable coral.>
I also
can't seem to get a real sharp picture - when I drained the water to
capture a dry image, they retracted.
<Yep.>
The second is some
kind of surviving and multiplying coral polyp
community, I think.
<Yes, Zoanthids, see readings above.>
I had not intended to keep
corals at this beginner stage; but since they might be here already, I
would like to encourage
their stay. If you could steer me in the
right direction, I'll get studying on proper husbandry and modify the
system as needed to support them. They are located about nine inches
from the surface of the water.
<With such little light as you have
on your system, these should be moved to be as close the light as
possible.>
Briefly: I'm getting diatoms under control; tank cycled
fishless last week; and I'm using a twenty gallon sump setup. One-third
of the sump is setup as a five inch DSB with half pound Ogo for a
vegetable filter.
<Very nice.>
Water chemistry is so-so with a
nitrate concentration of 30 ppm. I'm slowly bringing that number down
with small water changes.
<Good.>
Mahalo,
David
<Ahui
hou! -Mich> |  
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Polyp ID? 1/31/07
<Greetings, Mich with you today.>
Hi was wondering if you can tell me the name of the tall polyps on the
left of the picture (cylindrical with wart like surface), as well as
their aquatic needs.
<Yes, these are Tube or Snake Polyps (Isaurus
sp.). They are not commonly seen in the industry, so lucky you! Care
is the same as other members of the family Zoanthidae. They are
relatively hardy and tolerant as are other zoanthids, which, I presume
you are familiar with as I see them in your photo.
Thanks!
<You're welcome! -Mich> | 
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ID of...? Losing Cnid., maybe another Zo - 09/14/06
Hey crew
thanks in advance...
Can you guys tell me what in the world is on
this coral?
<Looks to me like another zoanthid... or the remnants of
same>
1) I thought this was some kind of egg sack or sponge, but
when I got home today it seemed to have moved a few inches and really
ticked off some polyps.
2)I am assuming this is a juvenile snail,
but it has only moved about two inches in two weeks (it still moves
slightly/rotates most days)
<Mmm, can't see this... a better
resolved, closer-up pic?>
3) There is this fuzzy purple stuff that
is about the same color as some of the coralline algae. It seems to be
spreading.
<Yes>
I'd appreciate any help you all can give me.
Hope the jpeg is the right size and clear enough.
-Mike
<I do
think this is part of the same or a competing Zoanthid colony... the one
losing. Either this or perhaps a Mussid... also losing. Bob Fenner> |
Re: ID of...? Losing Cnid., maybe another Zo 9/15/06
Thanks Bob.
I don't think I understand the response. What is
competing with what?
<Exactly... oh, but in this case, the
predominant Zoanthids...>
The spongy material is part of the
zoanthid or is competing with it?
<Mmm, yes>
Or maybe a
better question is, should I remove it?
<I would not... unless
this bit of battle is causing other troubles, I would just wait, let
it play out>
And does 'yes' mean that the fuzzy purple stuff is
coralline algae?
<Might be... this would be my first guess...
next some sort of sponge>
I've never seen it take this shape, I
thought it always looked like a thin, smooth, flat crust on the
rock.
<Nope>
Thanks again for your help and patience with my
questions.
Mike
<Sorry for the lack of clarity.
Bob Fenner> | 
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Coral ID (Palythoa Me Thinks) - 04/20/06
Hey guys, <<and gals>>
I was just wondering if you can ID this coral for me. It's a little
cluster of four.
<<It looks to be a button polyp of the genus
Palythoa. Do a Google search re and see what you think>>
Thanks
again for the help.
<<A pleasure...Regards, EricR>> | 
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