Is there another zoa that resembles a Stratosphere?

nano reef · Nov 28, 2023

I am in the market for one and wanting to make sure I dont get a fake. Someone is offering to sell me one and want to make sure it isnt fake! He sent me this pic. Does it look real? The rings dont look as well defined as some I have seen.

Kasrift · Nov 28, 2023

nano reef said:
I am in the market for one and wanting to make sure I dont get a fake. Someone is offering to sell me one and want to make sure it isnt fake! He sent me this pic. Does it look real? The rings dont look as well defined as some I have seen.

Looks real. They have an interesting growth pattern and aren't as uniform as other zoas. This means they have a variance on their pattern and no particularly as they grow out. They have a larger polyps size and have the best 'swirl' look as the polyps reaches full size.

@wes84 what do you think, you said your colony was 40+ polyps so you'd know how different polyps grow.

kevgib67 · Nov 28, 2023

Just chiming in so I hear what @wes84 has to say.

wes84 · Nov 28, 2023

nano reef said:
I am in the market for one and wanting to make sure I dont get a fake. Someone is offering to sell me one and want to make sure it isnt fake! He sent me this pic. Does it look real? The rings dont look as well defined as some I have seen.

That looks more like a stratocaster than a stratosphere, or a not very good lineage of stratosphere. I have some of those also but cant find a pic. Here is an old pic of my strats. The young polyps start with a yellow circle Then get more rings as they get mature. I would be cautious on those.