Yellow Polyps

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Scientific Name: Parazoanthus gracilis
Classification: Soft Coral
Common Names: Yellow Polyps


Description:
Yellow polyps are very distinctive. They are obviously yellow in color and have long thin stalks up to 1.5" long and long tentacles compared to most other polyps. The polyps are individual and do not connected in any way.


Care:
Hardiness: Yellow polyps are very hardy. They do seem to be one of the tastier soft corals and if there is something in the tank that might munch on the occasional coral, yellow polyps are frequently the first ones eaten.

Lighting: Can withstand most reef lighting schemes, but seems to do best under at least moderate lighting..

Water Current: Yellow polyps prefer low to moderate water motion.

Temperature: 76º to 84º F.

Aggressiveness: Very low.

Feeding: Yellow polyps are photosynthetic and do fine with no feeding, but occasional feeding of small meaty foods like brine shrimp is benefitial.

Supplements: No special requirement are noted. Normal acceptable water parameters seem to suite it just fine.

Tank Positioning: No special requirements other than keeping them out of forceful water flow. These specimens are usually placed near the bottom of the tank.

Propagation:: Yellow polyps will naturally propagate in the reef tank and the colony will tend to grow in size. Super Glue Gell can also be used for manual Propagation. Using a razor knife or simular detach the polyp at the base. Using alittle Super Glue Gel reattach to selected rock or structure..

Average Cost $15 - $40 small-large. Varies in location

My yellow polyps wouldn't grow lower in the tank. When they were moved to the top of the rockwork they went nuts (so that they are now placed lower in the tank... too much of a good thing).

be careful, as these critters don't play nice with other corals. I had a colony take off and in the process they stung the crap out of one of my montiporas

nice read. thank you.

Yes - Yellow polyps are easy to keep. Too easy. They can quickly take over the tank, are tough to get rid of, and as JeffDubya mentioned - they can sting other corals. BTW - mine eat like crazy. I have seen them consume whole mysis shrimp ... almost like small venus fly traps!

Oh - and when did these guys officially get a scientific name? Every book I have says they have none.

Nice review, wwest.

Agreed, the only scientific name I have on these (including the Borneman and Spring books) is just "Zoanthus sp."

i like this.
its very informative for noobs like myself

Shouldn't this be in the Corallimorph section?

***NO, Corallimorphs are mushrooms, Zoanthus sp. is not a mushroom species.***