No photo yet
Purple Death
Palythoa sp.
Species profile
Hallucination
Zoanthus sp.
Also sold as: Hallucinations, Hallucination zoa, Hallucination zoanthid
Hallucination is a collector zoanthid with a dark navy center, a broad orange ring, and lime to yellow-green tentacles.
Colors
Dark navy to blue-black center with a ragged, star-like edge, sometimes holding a few orange-speckled patches; a small pale blue slit mouth; a broad orange to red-orange ring with fine radial streaks, dusted with tiny blue-violet flecks; and short, rounded lime to yellow-green tentacles with darker green mottling and a teal tint at the base in places
Care at a glance
Care level
Moderate
Light
Medium
75-150 PAR
Flow
Moderate
Growth rate
Slow
Placement
Lower to middle rockwork, ideally on its own rock or plug near the front of the tank where the dark centers can be seen up close
Temperature
75 to 80°F (24 to 27°C)
Salinity
1.024-1.026 specific gravity (about 32-35 ppt)
Feeding
Mostly light-fed, with optional fine foods once or twice a week.
Photosynthetic; optional fine particulate food once or twice a week
Care notes
Hallucination is a collector morph, and the contrast is what people pay for. A dark navy center with a ragged edge, sometimes holding a few orange speckles, sits inside a broad orange ring dusted with fine blue-violet flecks, all framed by short lime to yellow-green tentacles. Under strong blue light the colors look more intense, and under whiter light they look softer. It is often sold as single polyps or very small frags, and it grows slowly, so give a new piece plenty of time before judging it. It is rated Moderate rather than Easy because it grows slowly and some keepers find it touchier than common zoas, so keep conditions steady. Colonies with quite different colors, such as a purple face with a lime skirt, are also sold under this name, so buy from photos of the actual colony.
⚠ Palytoxin safety
Like any zoanthid, Hallucination may contain palytoxin, so treat it as toxic. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling or fragging, and wash up afterward.
