Are these zoas or a palys?

[reefSF]

I have two, but unsure if they are zoanthids or polythoa. If they are poly, should I get give them away if they're toxic?

 

[blaxsun]

Looks like zoas in the first, palys in the second.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Agrre - left is zoa and right is campfire or red death paly

 

[Rmckoy]

I can’t remember which is which but one has a slit from the mouth to the outer disc. .

I believe these are paly though .

 

[Tired]

Don't put your bare hands on any rock in the tank, don't boil any rocks, and don't point any corals at your eyes, and you'll be fine. That rule goes for any tank, regardless of what corals are in it; you can get some nasty bacterial infections from a saltwater aquarium.

 

[tbrown]

If you think they're Palythoa why would you give them away? Just be careful with them.

 

[blaxsun]

Zoas and palys can both have palytoxins; there are a few types (grandis) that are definitely toxic, but it's hard to know which specific ones may have palytoxins. Best to treat them all as suspect and handle accordingly (@Tired).

 

[reefSF]

Sometimes my clownfish bite at them after I've fed them reef roids. Sometimes they try to sleep in it. If anyone here that responded is in the sf bay area, I'll gift you the rock if you're interested. Otherwise, I'll post in the regional channel. Thanks, everyone!

 

[MoshJosh]

Left looks like nirvana zoa and right looks like a paly.

 

[thamnasteroid]

Both are zoanthus. To be sure, make them close up. Look at their mesoglea. If it has a rough, sandy texture, then it is probably a palythoa. Also check to see if it has capitulary ridges. If it does, then it is a palythoa.