Zoa or paly?

[kevgib67]

I bought this from my local lfs, looked like a nice little zoa but since I got it the polyps have become very large. I don’t want to know the trade name, I don’t care if it’s a ultra 24k rainbow fairy unicorn fart that I can sell for 5k a polyp. I just want to know if it’s a zoa or a paly. Thanks.

 

[Uncle99]

palythoa usually show a noticeable response to feeding, ie, pulls in food.

 

[kevgib67]

palythoa usually show a noticeable response to feeding, ie, pulls in food.

Thanks, I haven’t payed attention, just fed today. I’ll pay attention next time, you are the best uncle I’ve ever had!

 

[Uncle99]

Thanks, I haven’t payed attention, just fed today. I’ll pay attention next time, you are the best uncle I’ve ever had!

Every paly I ever had would immediately close on say Mysis, but my Zoa just let go. Probably some exceptions like anything.

 

[DIFish]

Looks like a “blue watermelon” Zoa to me. Have some in my tank from WWC that look the exact same.

 

[kevgib67]

Thank you @DIFish , I was sure they were Zoas until they got so large.

 

[encrustingacro]

They're Zoanthus gigantus or vietnamensis, not Palythoa. True Palythoa have a rough mesoglea (flesh on the underside, stem, and between polyps).

 

[DIFish]

I would say mine are 1/4th to 1/2 inch a head. Larger than most of my other zoas by a bit when they are healthy. Could never get them to color up like the WWC pictures but they are very hardy.

 

[kevgib67]

Ya I think you are right, I googled them and it seems like that is what they are. It was just the size that threw me off. Of the dozen or so zoas I have none are even close to the size of these.

 

[Pod_01]

I found the following article helped when I try to identify zoa vs. Paly:

What is the Difference Between Zoanthids and Palythoas? - Aqua Life Hub

It is important to know the difference between Zoanthids and Palythoas, both from an asthetic perspective and to check for palytoxins.

aqualifehub.com

It is not perfect but…
For example this is paly based on the oral disk:

Here is a zoa:

Yours from the picture looks like Zoa… maybe…

 

[encrustingacro]

I found the following article helped when I try to identify zoa vs. Paly:

What is the Difference Between Zoanthids and Palythoas? - Aqua Life Hub

It is important to know the difference between Zoanthids and Palythoas, both from an asthetic perspective and to check for palytoxins.

aqualifehub.com

It is not perfect but…
For example this is paly based on the oral disk:

Here is a zoa:

Yours from the picture looks like Zoa… maybe…

Both of those are Zoanthus. The top one is Z. vietnamensis and the bottom one is Z. sansibaricus. The best way to tell the two genera apart is by the texture and color of the mesoglea; Palythoa will have a rough, cream-colored mesoglea, while Zoanthus will have a grey, smooth mesoglea. You can also look for capitulary ridges; only Palythoa will have capitulary ridges, although not all palys have them.

 

[kevgib67]

I found the following article helped when I try to identify zoa vs. Paly:

What is the Difference Between Zoanthids and Palythoas? - Aqua Life Hub

It is important to know the difference between Zoanthids and Palythoas, both from an asthetic perspective and to check for palytoxins.

aqualifehub.com

It is not perfect but…
For example this is paly based on the oral disk:

Here is a zoa:

Yours from the picture looks like Zoa… maybe…

Thanks for the info, I bought it thinking it was a zoa but the disc getting so much bigger than the 11 other types of zoa made me question myself.

 

[kevgib67]

Both of those are Zoanthus. The top one is Z. vietnamensis and the bottom one is Z. sansibaricus. The best way to tell the two genera apart is by the texture and color of the mesoglea; Palythoa will have a rough, cream-colored mesoglea, while Zoanthus will have a grey, smooth mesoglea. You can also look for capitulary ridges; only Palythoa will have capitulary ridges, although not all palys have them.

Wow so specific, thanks for the info.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I bought this from my local lfs, looked like a nice little zoa but since I got it the polyps have become very large. I don’t want to know the trade name, I don’t care if it’s a ultra 24k rainbow fairy unicorn fart that I can sell for 5k a polyp. I just want to know if it’s a zoa or a paly. Thanks.

Palythoa and light makes it hard to tell type but may be nuclear green. My zoas also respond to feeding but paly distinctly close when fed

 

[littlebigreef]

The fact is large zoanthids (think Sunny D's, Margicians, pandoras) are often referred to in the hobby as 'palys' and, while it's convenient, its also taxonomically incorrect.

@encrustingacro has been persistently beating this drum for awhile for which I applaud them.

Now, bear in mind researchers are often reclassifying corals (and fish) but 'paly' specifically refers to corals like button polyps (texas trash), captain americas/jerks, and grandis palys. For anyone that's ever worked (ie fragged) these the difference is apparent. Paly tissue is thicker - denser- and weeps copious amounts of fluid (toxin) when the mat is cut.

The difference I explained above is an actual physiological attribute you can look at.

At this point we should all be aware things like feeding response, size and coloration are highly variable based on water parameters. That said, palys are more likely to display a feeding response with larger particulate (think brine and mysis) than say mid sized or smaller zoas (form follows function- smaller polyps are going to trap and eat smaller foods like phyto or say reef roids).

So, the term 'paly' has been broadly applied, incorrectly, to a number a number of larger polyped zoanthids and, as a matter of convience, has stuck.