How can i safely remove button polyps?

I have a group of button polyps that seem to want to multiply faster than anything else in my tank....now they are starting to attack my torch. They are on a rock that is not easily moveable so I can't replace the rock.

What is the best way I can remove them. I just saw a torch tentacle stuck in the polyp's closed mouth! That's crazy!

 

Pry them off with a knife or something similar at least to start. you might be able to peel them off. Make sure you have carbon in your filtration and change it in a few hours after removing the buttons.

And wear gloves to protect yourself from their toxin.

 

Thanks. Do the button polyps sting other corals? Is that what I am seeing happen with my torch?

 

kalk paste might work if you want to kill the polyps encroaching on your torch.

~Will.

 

Button polyps are that toxic? Huh, never knew that. Good thing I read this before trying to frag mine.

 

I've read that they are one of the most toxic paly's. The toxin causes high fevers, muscle cramps, extreme fatigue. Direct contact with the eyes may cause permanent blindness.

 

palytoxin can not only blind you and do the things listed above it can KILL you and your pets, Look up Hawaiian Death Spear some time. The Hawaiians found out that if they cut open the Ugly little brown anemones and spear the insides on the tips of their spears it would kill their enemies.

 

Yeah, I would wear some kind of eye protection. I made the mistake of not wearing any, and was quite lucky I'm not blind. I accidentally tore one in a colony open (fumbled the rock while I had it out of the tank and when I re-caught it my nail tore one open) and the "juice" squirted out and hit me in the face, about an inch from my eye. I put the rock down, and washed my face with soap and water. I was worried that maybe it had a very high or very low pH and would sting after a little bit, so that's the only reason why I washed it off. No problems. Wasn't until later I read how potentially toxic their "juice" is. Now I always wear eye protection and even bought a pair of coral life gloves (full arm) which I now wear when reaching in my tanks.

 

I can attest to this ... I ended up in the hospital for 3 days after fragging and contacting palytoxin.

No way to prove it of course, but its the only thing I did out of the ordinary ... food poisoning or the flu has never felt like that, so I'm convinced this was the reason why lol.

 

Wow, those sound like some pretty serious polyps. Why is it that the ugly stuff seems to grow uncontrollable, have the most toxins, and want to kill my nice stuff!

What if i put another rock on it for a week or two, will that kill it off?