Zoa Vs Paly
- Thread starter Shep
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I don't know if this is correct, but I would say a paly is usually larger than a zoa and typically they do not have as much variable color within the polyps as zoas. Stems are usually longer on a paly as well. I'm sure many on here can give you more input.
G_Sanab922
Keys Life
Have to agree with this. Plus from what I've noticed the lashes are a tad longer.
Oscaror
Back In It
I find there are much less colourful zoas and much more colourful palys.
I agree that palys can be very colorful - just not as much color within each polyp as zoas. I may be totally wrong about the difference too
You'd have to prove that with pics.
I find palys are pretty much green purple brown & fairly dull compared to zoas. I also find that palys seem to sting other corals harder faster & have more of a tendency to become a weed.
Palys incorporate bits of substrate in their stalk that you can see. They have a straight slit like mouth as opposed to the round mouth of zoas. My palys seem to show a much more vigorous feeding response than my zoas but that's just my observation.
kschweer
Moderator
There is a good thread around somewhere on this topic. I'll look around and see if I can find it. The main issue seems to be that many corals we call palys are in fact zoas (zoanthus gigantus). This seems to confuse the difference between zoas and true palys.
kschweer
Moderator
bfam4t6
Active Member
A coral farmer once told me that the way to distinguish them is that palys generate new polyps diagonally from the base of existing polyps, and that zoas instead lay down an encrusting mat which first spreads away from the existing polyp before sprouting a new baby.
This generally seems to hold true, although, it looks like my Captain America palys seem to lay down a little bit of an ecrusting mat from which new babies sprout. Anyone else have any input in regards to this distinction?
This generally seems to hold true, although, it looks like my Captain America palys seem to lay down a little bit of an ecrusting mat from which new babies sprout. Anyone else have any input in regards to this distinction?
Oscaror
Back In It
to @fishroomlady and @Triggreef there are many beautiful palythoas like the krakatoa, adonis, night fury, darth maul, nightmare, god of war, hawaiian people eater, blazing agave, blue agave, speckled agave, seduction, pink krakatoa, lunar eclipse palythoas. Look each of those up, I can't post a picture of each. None of these are brown, in fact, there is a chance that you are confusing some palys for zoas, because of their short skirt or small body. They are truly diverse, and beautiful
Here are a few of the ever beautiful palythoa:
I credit this picture of the blazing agave to @ZoaCollector
Blazing Agave:
Krakatoa:
I credit this picture of the night fury to @wrasseluver
Night Fury:
I wish these would become weeds :lol:
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1.0reef
Well-Known Member
Most "palys" in our hobby are Zoanthus gigantus. PE Palys are one of the exceptions, along with Nuclear Greens. Here's some Protopalythoa and Palythoa:to @fishroomlady and @Triggreef there are many beautiful palythoas like the krakatoa, adonis, night fury, darth maul, nightmare, god of war, hawaiian people eater, blazing agave, blue agave, speckled agave, seduction, pink krakatoa, lunar eclipse palythoas. Look each of those up, I can't post a picture of each. None of these are brown, in fact, there is a chance that you are confusing some palys for zoas, because of their short skirt or small body. They are truly diverse, and beautiful
Here are a few of the ever beautiful palythoa:
I credit this picture of the blazing agave to @ZoaCollector
Blazing Agave:
Krakatoa:
I credit this picture of the night fury to @wrasseluver
Night Fury:
I wish these would become weeds :lol:
Oscaror
Back In It
Actually I haven't seen many varieties of protopalys, it's just that they're super common.Most "palys" in our hobby are Zoanthus gigantus. PE Palys are one of the exceptions, along with Nuclear Greens. Here's some Protopalythoa and Palythoa:
to @fishroomlady and @Triggreef there are many beautiful palythoas like the krakatoa, adonis, night fury, darth maul, nightmare, god of war, hawaiian people eater, blazing agave, blue agave, speckled agave, seduction, pink krakatoa, lunar eclipse palythoas. Look each of those up, I can't post a picture of each. None of these are brown, in fact, there is a chance that you are confusing some palys for zoas, because of their short skirt or small body. They are truly diverse, and beautiful
Here are a few of the ever beautiful palythoa:
I credit this picture of the blazing agave to @ZoaCollector
Blazing Agave:
Krakatoa:
I credit this picture of the night fury to @wrasseluver
Night Fury:
I wish these would become weeds :lol:
I just had to instigate people to get some pics going. Lol
But in comparison, as pretty as those are, they are still more or less brown imo. At least when compared to some like these....
Oscaror
Back In It
I guess so, but I find it's harder to find more colourful zoas, or zoas in general, that aren't eagle eyes and radioactive dragon eyes. But I guess there may be more varieties, it's just that I find it easier to find colourful palythoas instead.
kschweer
Moderator
to @fishroomlady and @Triggreef there are many beautiful palythoas like the krakatoa, adonis, night fury, darth maul, nightmare, god of war, hawaiian people eater, blazing agave, blue agave, speckled agave, seduction, pink krakatoa, lunar eclipse palythoas. Look each of those up, I can't post a picture of each. None of these are brown, in fact, there is a chance that you are confusing some palys for zoas, because of their short skirt or small body. They are truly diverse, and beautiful
Most if not all on your list are actually zoas. They would fall into the category of zoanthus gigantus which are more often than not confused with palys. Examples of true palys would be captain americas, nuke greens and purple deaths.
