Whats the difference between a paly and a zoa???

[larryl]

Wow what a picture!

 

[The Coral Connect]

paly or zoa

 

[Jason mahnke]

So these came on a couple pieces of rock I purchased. they weren't visible right away but over the course of time they've appeared more and more are these palys or zoas?

 

[Zazzy]

Palys are really ugly and zoas look less like weeds

 

[Ileanaguz69]

Hi guys. I just bought "something" yesterday and i was hoping to known are they zoas or palys. I read what do you post but now i completely uncertain what they are!! I a newb into the corals and i want to learn. :oops:;Bored

 

[Ileanaguz69]

They are really small but here a photo.

 

[Coralreefer1]

Palythoas are larger than Zoanthids.

 

[Ileanaguz69]

Well...i just read everything that the people post about this theme and apparently i have to be Jacques Cousteau, a genius or have a DNA kit to known what really are. I spend sometime here reading ur stuff but i think if gonna take a lot of time. Thanks coralreefer1

 

[A. grandis]

I know many of you have been thought differently, but this is what the truth is:

Palythoa spp.:

Zoanthus spp.:

Find the Palythoa spp. among the Zoanthus spp. here:

Cheers.

 

[A. grandis]

And so...
1) The term "zoas" is to be used for zoanthids, generally speaking.
2) Palythoa spp. and Zoanthus spp. are example of zoanthids ("zoas").
3) The term "zoa" is normally also used when we refer to some Zoanthus spp.
4) The term "Paly" is wrongly used in the market to refer to specially "People Eaters". But "People Eaters" are in truth Zoanthus spp., not Palythoa spp.
5) The term "Paly" is also used to "identify" real Palythoa spp.

That's why I don't like usual names at all!!!!
I don't like those cartoon names too!
I things it makes a mess in many people's minds and they are a market strategy to sell those so called "new strains".
But there is absolutely no way to teach too many people the truth I wrote here. LOL!

 

[DCF]

so maybe we now understand a little more than we did at the start of this interesting thread. My question relates to growth rates. Which multiplies more rapidly?

 

[thamnasteroid]

Red People Eater Palythoas

Red people eaters are Zoanthus vietnamensis

 

[thamnasteroid]

Palys incorporate particulates into their column while Zoas don't. Palys also tend to have capitulary ridges, but these aren't always present. Larger Zoanthus species will sometimes have bilateral markings, while Palythoa will have a marking on only one side of the oral disc, marking the dorsal mesentery.