Zoa Vs Paly

[flchamp89]

So this week I've been scouring the internet trying to learn the difference between the two. Not just aesthetics but growth, nutrition, diseases, predators, ect. I know I'm going to get beat up here but I'm really starting to realize I like palys more than zoas. So a few questions for the pros.

1. What makes palys thrive in the same environment zoas do not.
2. We know different zoas have different requirements so are we too assume palys do too and if so why do mine seem to not care about par or flow.
3. People have different views on the feeding of zoas yet palys seem to definitely have a better feeding response.
4. Palys come in some impressive colors and morphs. Why no love?
5. There has to be similarities yet differences in their care. What are they.

 

[ScottR]

I’m probably wrong here but I feel like they have the same needs. Palys seem to thrive in every condition conceivable. Zoas seem to thrive in almost any environment that other corals can’t. If I tried to stamp them out. It’d be some work.

 

[flchamp89]

I’m probably wrong here but I feel like they have the same needs. Palys seem to thrive in every condition conceivable. Zoas seem to thrive in almost any environment that other corals can’t. If I tried to stamp them out. It’d be some work.

I respect your answer but it seems there must be more to it. I've found threads across the web where people grow palys but not zoas. So many articles just lump them together as if they are almost the same thing and I'm not buying it.

 

[Reefer1978]

I think Palys are easier to keep, they are bigger, take up more space, grow faster and some could take over a tank. With most reefers being in the sub-100g category (this is a guess as I don't see too many huge tank threads), if you want a nice colorful variety of 40 different species lets say, size becomes a concern.

 

[flchamp89]

I think Palys are easier to keep, they are bigger, take up more space, grow faster and some could take over a tank. With most reefers being in the sub-100g category (this is a guess as I don't see too many huge tank threads), if you want a nice colorful variety of 40 different species lets say, size becomes a concern.

100 % agree so what's your take on why they are easier

 

[Reefer1978]

100 % agree so what's your take on why they are easier

I've read someplace long, long time ago they are more toxic, they are less likely to be harassed by predators. Also size matters, they capture more light (energy), grow faster. If you want a fun zoa read I just wrote this up: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/blue-throat-trigger-cooking-recipes-comedy-thread.626562/.

 

[flchamp89]

I've read someplace long, long time ago they are more toxic, they are less likely to be harassed by predators. Also size matters, they capture more light (energy), grow faster. If you want a fun zoa read I just wrote this up: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/blue-throat-trigger-cooking-recipes-comedy-thread.626562/.

I've thought the same things as far a predators and toxicity. They feed better. I'm still struggling with dirty Vs clean tank stuff. How much better or more do they feed and how much of a factor is this.

 

[Reefer1978]

I've thought the same things as far a predators and toxicity. They feed better. I'm still struggling with dirty Vs clean tank stuff. How much better or more do they feed and how much of a factor is this.

I've ran both. I also don't feed my zoa/palys. Just feed the fish and let the poop feed everything else. But my main reef is a mixed reef, so I dose Red Sea energy A & B daily.

 

[flchamp89]

I've ran both. I also don't feed my zoa/palys. Just feed the fish and let the poop feed everything else. But my main reef is a mixed reef, so I dose Red Sea energy A & B daily.

Thats great even greater that works for you. Hopefully some will chime in with some experiences of paly success and zoa failure. What would be great is if we could get specific with individual types.

 

[Reefer1978]

Thats great even greater that works for you. Hopefully some will chime in with some experiences of paly success and zoa failure. What would be great is if we could get specific with individual types.

Me too - looking forward to this conversation developing. One more thing I wanted to mentioned before I have to move on from the forum with the kids --- I haven't seen any thread of complete zoa failure in the whole tank, unless the tank was nuked. I do struggle with some species, and in my experience it depends on where they came from. How stressed they were in the other person/stores tank. This is one local store that has beautiful zoa but for the life of me they don't want to grow in my tanks, just slowly wither away. I've bought the same species from other's and they are thriving.

I bought a 12-pack from one well known store in Florida in November. 10 frags are now colonies. 11th (Laser Lemons) is now a single polyp from 3. 12th (Candy Apple Red) was a single polyp for 5 months, now grew a baby. It was also on a super-long leg for the first 5 months, now it's short right at the base. As to why that specific ones do or don't want to thrive, I don't know.

 

[flchamp89]

So many variables between the tanks they come from and ours. With so many zoas out there one would have to really be educated on all of its particular requirements. What about all the morphs or generics. We hear those often to better than the designers. But logic says maybe that isn't necessarily true. Wouldn't the designers receive better care. We often also hear the best place to get any coral is from a fellow reefer. What about stress. Looks like zoas may not handle stress as well. Why do some zoas bounce back from disease or predators while others close up never open and waste away. Ive also read about how seasons affect growth. Do the seasons plays apart in our tanks?

 

[Reefer1978]

One more thing to throw into the mix - zoa eating nudi's - Do they ear bigger palys?

 

[flchamp89]

One more thing to throw into the mix - zoa eating nudi's - Do they ear bigger palys?

No I don't see it. I'm still fighting nudis and they won't touch them or certain zoas it seems.

 

[Abeal17]

So in my experience, palys are far easier to grow than zoas. They're larger, than zoas, so I'm guessing that helps contribute to growth speeds, as they can take in more light. They seem to be more responsive to feedings as well, and can consume more than zoas can. Even when I was not feeding corals, palys grew slightly faster than zoas. But the growth in my zoas seemed to increase but wasn't as fast as the palys still. So my guess here is that zoas have a smaller range in which they can thrive, as compared to palys. Zoas seem to like water on the cleaner side, while palys like water more on the "dirty" side.

 

[flchamp89]

So in my experience, palys are far easier to grow than zoas. They're larger, than zoas, so I'm guessing that helps contribute to growth speeds, as they can take in more light. They seem to be more responsive to feedings as well, and can consume more than zoas can. Even when I was not feeding corals, palys grew slightly faster than zoas. But the growth in my zoas seemed to increase but wasn't as fast as the palys still. So my guess here is that zoas have a smaller range in which they can thrive, as compared to palys. Zoas seem to like water on the cleaner side, while palys like water more on the "dirty" side.

So a vote for zoas liking cleaner water interesting.

 

[ScottR]

I respect your answer but it seems there must be more to it. I've found threads across the web where people grow palys but not zoas. So many articles just lump them together as if they are almost the same thing and I'm not buying it.

I’ve seen palys come in as weeds on live rock. The brown ones are ugly (and toxic). And most people find them undesirable. I’ve also kept many zoas and I feel like they are some of the most hardy and easiest to keep. Flow, lighting and feeding don’t seem to matter to them. Just my experience.