polarbear Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) I got this coral about a week ago and was wondering if anyone else has one. It's called a Leptastrea sp. "Crater Coral". The coral was not fully opened up in the picture. Edited January 12, 2012 by polarbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua-Dome Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 True Palythoa sp. "crater coral / mat zoanthid". Leptastrea is an unrelated stony coral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaarrrggg Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Cool coral! Looks like a cartoon meteor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannerfish Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I like it, never seen one with such deep craters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Very neat looking. I have leptastrea and they look nothing like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 From what I've read the entire class of matting Paly's contain palytoxin. By the looks these are either Palythoa tuberculosa, or Palythoa caesia, but no way to be certain. In any case, these may be extremely toxic. I didn't think anybody kept the matting type because of their toxicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvanghele Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 pretty cool coral, where did oyu get that one? It looks hungry : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarbear Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Where have you been reading this? From what I've read the entire class of matting Paly's contain palytoxin. By the looks these are either Palythoa tuberculosa, or Palythoa caesia, but no way to be certain. In any case, these may be extremely toxic. I didn't think anybody kept the matting type because of their toxicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarbear Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 pretty cool coral, where did oyu get that one? It looks hungry : ) Got it from polly's pet shop in new braunfels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarbear Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Very neat looking. I have leptastrea and they look nothing like that. Thanks. I wasn't for sure but couldn't find anything else about them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarbear Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 From what I've read the entire class of matting Paly's contain palytoxin. By the looks these are either Palythoa tuberculosa, or Palythoa caesia, but no way to be certain. In any case, these may be extremely toxic. I didn't think anybody kept the matting type because of their toxicity. Well I guess I'll have to take extra care when around this coral? I as just reading an article about the case where a person had a Zoanthid colony responsible for a severe respiratory reaction. They tried to boil the rock with the polyps on it. They were collected from a home aquarium in 2008. They look a lot like my teal polyps. Guess this shows just how careful you need to be around some corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 The primary toxic Paly was the Palythoa toxica. If you research the other matting varieties, there are associations with the same toxins. The toxin is actually a byproduct of a bacteria or a dinoflagellate and not the coral itself, so it's unfair to say the class of coral is toxic. It's completely possible to have a "toxic" coral, and it not actually being toxic. The matting Paly's are caribaeorum, tuberculosa, caesia, psammophila, mammillosa, and toxica. Here's the advanced aquariest article on Palytoxin: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/palytoxin-the-worlds-second-deadliest-poison-possibly-available-at-your-lfs Main thing is to not boil the rock, obviously, but just take extra precaution if you have cuts or scrapes and you are working in the tank. Your coral may be completely safe but with that variety I would stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Another good reminder that wearing gloves is a great idea. I had a bad outbreak from the last contact with my RBTAs. Previously I'd been fine with them, but after reacting to torch corals previously I'm evidently expanding my allergic reactions.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.