Captain America

Captain America is a large-polyp Palythoa strain with a red outer face surrounding a blue-grey centre, a bold two-tone target that lives up to its patriotic name. The size matters here: these are substantial polyps, and even a small group makes a strong focal patch on the rockwork. It is a tier 1 paly, one of the most recognisable named palys in the hobby, valued for clean colour blocking that stays true as colonies mature.

Care

Place it in the bottom to middle of the tank under medium light, with medium flow moving through the mat. It is easy to keep with measurable nutrients available; zoanthids sulk in ultra-clean water, and large palys show it quickly by shrinking. Maintain stable alkalinity, avoid burying the mat in detritus, and growth should be fast once the colony is comfortable. Handle with gloves and eye protection when fragging (palytoxin caution).

Keeping and spread

Captain America spreads as a fast-growing mat of big polyps, so give it a generous berth: about 2 in of space at minimum, ideally its own rock area. With moderate aggression and rapid coverage it can overgrow and smother slower neighbours. Frag by cutting the mat between polyps and mounting the separated section firmly on rubble or a plug; large polyps usually heal well when kept in stable conditions.