A R2R Spotlight: "Purple Death"

ficklefins · Nov 2, 2006

Purple Death

- Distinguished by its dark purple oral disc, this Paly is currently a hot item in for zoa collectors. Confusing this Paly with other palys doesn't happen often because of its unique color.

This color strain was named by Creetin :wave: .

*** I don't have these so feedback is needed ***

Lighting:
- PDs are a very adaptive Paly and can do well in lower to medium lighting. Owners report that these Palys do best under medium lighting.

Flow:
- PDs do best under a medium flow situation. A medium flow situation is one that will make the tentacles wave in the current, but does not cause the polyp to close.

Feeding:
- PDs will accept food and may do have better growth when fed.

Origins:
-

Rarity:
- Still a very elusive Paly to find, individual frags can demand a pretty good price.

ID Confusions:
-

Other info:
- This color strain was originally named by Creetin who also supplied the picture on www.Zoaid.com .
- PDs do slime when exposed to stressful situations like fragging and should be fragged with caution. Be aware that the toxicity in these Palys is more than the average zoanthid so make sure to take the proper precautions.
- Keep in mind that the Polyps have a larger size (a quarter) and may shadow anything near them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feel free to comment on past Club-Zoa Spotlights:

Mean Green

Eagle Eyes

Purple People Eaters

Zoanthid Anatomy

Armageddon

ficklefins · Nov 2, 2006

FYI, I don't have these yet (fingers crossed) nor have I seen these personally so I have no idea about care or anything else. So any info would be helpful.

Stixbaraca · Nov 2, 2006

yeah...I agree...someone is going to have to send me a polyp or 2 of these, so a full investigation can be worked up properly!!!!!

twon8 · Nov 2, 2006

ive got nuclear greens which are the same species imo, standard paly fare, ive got them at the bottom under 400's, they seem to be growing really well, feed them and watch them grow.

korndogg091 · Nov 2, 2006

i have found that my PD is easy to care for and a very fast grower. i get a polyp two to three weeks. mine is good on the bottom of my tank (90g with 2x250w mh). low to medium flow and it does take mysis shrimp.

p.s.
if someone can pm me with a step by step on how to ship, i might have some polyps for sale.

Pazazz · Nov 2, 2006

Purple Deaths are wonderful and will reproduce at a fast rate if feed. I have had mine for almost 4 months the seem to like almost any lighting and low to medium flow.....

Purple death on the right

kpax · Nov 2, 2006

Those are SCHWWEEEETTT

Raptor · Nov 3, 2006

I found out that they like a wide array of lighting, and actually look the darkest getting a fair amt of light. Mine are placed in the sand because they need sand in their structure. They are very hearty and grow fast which is refreshing from all the other slow growers that die seemingly for no reason.
I found they are their darkest with lower kelvin bulbs and will benefit from halides greatly. They will have a couple differant shades to them under diff lighting. Under 20 k they are a couple shades lighter than 10k, but then have a sheen that that they dont under 10k. The skirt i have seen from dark black almost to green or blue. They love feedings.
Beware of then when fragging, They can burn a cut pretty good if their slime gets in it. You'll feel it you dont have to take my word for it.
I felt it and it burns pretty good.
I am still undecided about the nuclears being in the same family. Granted they are close in relation, But i see a suttle differance, and that is the nuclears dont use sand in their stalks. Atleast with mine, and they look a tad bit different when closed. Pds look like a Grandi closed, and toxics look like a paly. JMO

Azurel · Nov 3, 2006

I talked to James Reimer about the use of sand and detrius in the stolen. He said it didn't matter if they were on the sand bed or in the rocks. At least from his research on simular species, he said that there is enough matter floating around that they will and can use to incorparate into the tissue. I have had mine in many differant light conditions and have has stellar growth in all of them. I have had my frag since May, I started out with 6 and have traded away, and sold about 14 so far.
I as of right now have a colony of 13 polyps. I have feed mine 2-3 times a week since I got them, they will take standard fair such as mysis, cyclop-eeze. I have found that they really like the smaller stuff like cyclop-eeze then larger stuff like mysis. With the larger stuff there is also a risk of having other critters stealing it out from the polyp. Where as the small stuff can be grabed on to much easier and enveloped faster.
I have never gotten the green skirts under my lighting, mine have developed a bright baby blue skirt that is amazing contrast to the deep purple. I have had them under many differant variations of flow, from fast to slow and have not noticed a issue with growth or remaining open. I will second Creetin on how toxic they are, I had my lips numb for a few hours awhile back after fragging them.
I didn't wash my hands and wiped my mouth.....That was the last time I made that mistake. I can tell you also that they slime up incredibly fast and in great quantities. I have pulled my colony out of water to frag and had slime driping off the rock and my fingers. If I can think of anything else I'll post it.

MarvinsReef · Nov 3, 2006

great spotlight topic...

background -- I've had mine since last May... I started out with 2 adults and 2 sub adults.. I've probably traded 6-7 polyps since I got them.. I'm stuck with 4 adult polyps and 3 sub adults for almost 2 months now.. I think it's because the adult polyps are getting too big (about a quarter size) and hindering light penetration for the smaller polyps...

color -- the color on them varied under different lighting conditions.. under my PC's, they were poopy purple but under the MH, they turned more deep purple w/ the bluish & white skirts..

location -- under my nano, they were mid level on LR but since I moved them to the 32g, I've always had them in the sandbed..

lighting -- I prefer these guys to be under MH anytime but will do fine under different lighting....

fragging -- yes, they do slime quite a bit.. but what I found is they are very resilient after you frag them.. I've fragged a baby once that I thought didn't have a chance to survive but couple of days after fragging, it started it's comeback.. mecold got this guy and hope he posts a pic of how it's doing now..

here's a photo of them side by side their cousins.. I'll have a close up and flahs pic when I get my laptop back sometime this weekend...

Azurel · Nov 3, 2006

Sweet pic Marv.....

gflat65 · Nov 3, 2006

I'll get a pic of my babies when I get home. They went through a pinkish phase before turning deep purple. I'm still waiting on the green skirts, but they'll come eventually. I have them under 175W 14K Iwasakis (very yellow on mag ballasts...), about 18-20 inches below water level.

MarvinsReef · Nov 3, 2006

Azurel said:
Sweet pic Marv.....

Thanks James..

weimers75 · Nov 3, 2006

Mine are a fuschia purple color. I have them at the top of my tank, low to medium flow. I strted with one polyp about a month ago, I know have 4 - they split fast!

dcall · Nov 6, 2006

If anybody has some for sale I am looking to get some out to Az nobody here has them yet. Please let me know. [email protected]

jessiesgrrl · Nov 6, 2006

gflat65 said:
I'll get a pic of my babies when I get home. They went through a pinkish phase before turning deep purple. I'm still waiting on the green skirts, but they'll come eventually. I have them under 175W 14K Iwasakis (very yellow on mag ballasts...), about 18-20 inches below water level.

OooooOOOoooo Babies plural...?

You know what I'm thinkin... and I got a thermos coming your way!!! LOL

:hello1:
Laurie

FunGuy · Nov 7, 2006

These are definitely cool. I love the very nice purple in some of the pictures. They're definitely are rare out in CA.

MarvinsReef · Nov 7, 2006

here's some pics I promised..

250k MH SE w/ 15k XM's only

Flash

ficklefins · Nov 7, 2006

Marvin those are amazing. Here is why I think they are tops of my List of frags to get.

Purple Deaths have an elegant styling to them with a solid purple throughout the oral disc. The ridges emanating out of the mouth cast a shadow over other parts illuminating the depth in color. This is all wrapped up with a steel grey skirt that doesn't overwhelm the purple but seems to draw the eye inwards to it.