Splatter Paly Care Guide
Splatter Paly is a designer Palythoa zoanthid with a multicolored splatter pattern; a photosynthetic coral that requires palytoxin handling precautions.
Overview
Splatter Paly is an aquarium trade name for a designer Palythoa zoanthid (Palythoa sp. 'Splatter') showing a multicolored splatter pattern across the polyp skirt. Like other Palythoa, the polyps sit in an encrusting tissue mat (coenenchyme) over the substrate, and the coral is zooxanthellate, relying on photosynthetic symbionts.
Taxonomy
- Family: Sphenopidae
- Genus: Palythoa (Lamouroux, 1816)
- Scientific name (trade form): Palythoa sp. 'Splatter'
- Order: Zoantharia; Class: Hexacorallia (phylum Cnidaria)
- WoRMS genus AphiaID: 205785 (accepted)
Aquarium care
This is a passive, reef-, shrimp- and fish-safe coral suited to intermediate keepers. It feeds photosynthetically and can be supplemented with amino acids and fine reef foods. It is best added to an established tank of at least about three months.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm; Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: ≤15 ppm; Phosphate: ≤0.1 ppm
- Lighting: 75-175 PAR (medium); Flow: low
- Growth rate: 0.3-0.7 cm per month (encrusting)
Placement and flow
Splatter Paly does best under medium light and low flow on rockwork. Maintaining stable salinity, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium supports its colour pattern and steady encrusting growth.