Propagating Splatter Paly (Palythoa sp.)

A guide to propagating the Splatter Palythoa morph by dividing its connected polyp mat, with the palytoxin safety measures that every Palythoa frag demands.

Overview

Splatter is a multicolored designer form of Palythoa, a colonial zoanthid placed in the family Sphenopidae of the order Zoantharia. Its polyps are partially sunk into a shared tissue mat called the coenenchyme, so the colony behaves as one connected organism spreading over the rock. That continuous tissue is exactly what lets the morph be carved into propagation pieces.

Reproductive Mode

Colony enlargement in captivity is dominated by asexual budding from the advancing mat. Each new polyp arises from the shared coenenchyme, and the colony marches across available surface. Hobbyist propagation mirrors this by removing an established multi-polyp section to grow on independently.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

To frag, a cluster of polyps is separated from the parent colony along the coenenchyme and mounted on a plug or rock. Cutting between polyp groups rather than through individual polyps gives cleaner pieces; a frag carrying several polyps roots onto the new base and resumes encrusting growth over the following weeks.

Choose a section of mat holding several open, well-colored polyps.
Divide the section from the colony following the connecting coenenchyme.
Mount the piece on a clean plug or rock with tissue against the surface.
Set the frag in low flow and stable parameters until it attaches and spreads.

Conditions for Propagation

New frags recover best under medium PAR lighting, low flow, and steady reef chemistry that mirrors the parent colony. Keep direct current off the fresh cut at first so the tissue can bond to the plug, then return the frag to normal placement once it has gripped.

Safety

Palythoa are a recognized source of palytoxin, an extremely toxic non-protein compound for which no antidote exists. It poses serious risk via skin, eyes, and inhaled aerosols. Treat every cut or handling of this colony as a possible exposure and protect yourself accordingly.