Zoa VS Paly
- Thread starter Ellylove
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ajnweb
Well-known member
They are both pretty similar, here are a few articles I found about the differences. I think everyone used to say that the difference was that one was connected by a rubbery mat, while the other was not. However, these articles seem to disagree, one article says that both are connected by a rubbery mat. Also, one article says that zoas just need light, while palys will eat meaty foods as well. Also, plays tend to have shorter skirts, almost just nubs, as opposed to zoas which have longer skirts. Still, pretty interesting reading.
And as Trido says, I think Palys tend to be larger, I think one of the articles says the same thing.
Here is what the first article says about them, you can see that they are only distinguished from one another at the Genus level, so they are in the same phylum, class, subclass, order, and possibly family. Hope someone else chimes in if I am wrong!
Phylum: cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa (anemones and corals)
Subclass: Zoatharia
Order: Zoanthidea (Zoanthids)
Family(s): Parazoanthus (Yellow polyps), Epizoanthis ( Brown to red brown colonial polyp disks - medium tentacles ), Zoanthdae (Hexacorallia)
Genu(s): Isaurus , Palythoa (larger than Zoanthus with longer brown tentacles. May be bright green in center, common name is Paly)
Zoanthus (small colonial polyps - green, red, brown, blue, purple, yellow and a range of other colors. Central disk may be contrasting color. Polyps connected at base)
Specie(s): Zoanthus alderi, Zoanthus kealakekuaensis, Zoanthus pacificus, Zoanthus pulchellus (Caribbean and found mainly on offshore), Zoanthus sociatus (green sea mat from Caribbean)
The Zoanthids we commonly keep in our aquariums belong to the genera of Zoanthus and Palythoa however we may actually have corals in the Zoanthdae family in the genus of Zoanthus, Protopalythoa, Palythoa, Isaurus, and Acrozoanthus.
http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=11186
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/invert.htm
http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/guest/fatherree/Zoanthids.htm
And as Trido says, I think Palys tend to be larger, I think one of the articles says the same thing.
Here is what the first article says about them, you can see that they are only distinguished from one another at the Genus level, so they are in the same phylum, class, subclass, order, and possibly family. Hope someone else chimes in if I am wrong!
Phylum: cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa (anemones and corals)
Subclass: Zoatharia
Order: Zoanthidea (Zoanthids)
Family(s): Parazoanthus (Yellow polyps), Epizoanthis ( Brown to red brown colonial polyp disks - medium tentacles ), Zoanthdae (Hexacorallia)
Genu(s): Isaurus , Palythoa (larger than Zoanthus with longer brown tentacles. May be bright green in center, common name is Paly)
Zoanthus (small colonial polyps - green, red, brown, blue, purple, yellow and a range of other colors. Central disk may be contrasting color. Polyps connected at base)
Specie(s): Zoanthus alderi, Zoanthus kealakekuaensis, Zoanthus pacificus, Zoanthus pulchellus (Caribbean and found mainly on offshore), Zoanthus sociatus (green sea mat from Caribbean)
The Zoanthids we commonly keep in our aquariums belong to the genera of Zoanthus and Palythoa however we may actually have corals in the Zoanthdae family in the genus of Zoanthus, Protopalythoa, Palythoa, Isaurus, and Acrozoanthus.
http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=11186
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/invert.htm
http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/guest/fatherree/Zoanthids.htm
From everything I've read, the actual difference is that Palys incorporate sand and bits of rubble to build their mat and stems, while Zoanthids do not.
busdriver
Well-known member
there are six different types that two a non-reefer look the same... try thesea.org i think they go in more detail...
ajnweb
Well-known member
Care is pretty much the same. I don't think they will chemically attack each other
, but they can out-compete one another for space. It is not uncommon to hear of one type of zoanthid overtaking and wiping another type out.Care is pretty much the same. I don't think they will chemically attack each other
and it's usually the ugly, cheap ones that overtake the shiny expensive ones...sunglasses or not!!
babyscooter
New member
if you did your research you would know.
Babyscooter, what's your research shown you?
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
Hmmm so there has been alot of anomosity on the forum the last couple of days. I brag all the time that Reef Geeks are the most generous and helping group of people that I have came across. I would hate to become a liar. Ever since I have joined this forum I have met some incredible people and lots of good information. I am sure the people that helped me out were helped by someone else, and the people that helped them out helped some one else out, and so on, and so on. So if the two of you can not pull your ego's aside for what ever reason it might be then maybe this forum and the generous people on it aren't the group for you guys.
ajnweb
Well-known member
Hey Ellylove, don't let anyone bug you on here, most everyone here will try to help you. I collect zoas, and even after reading the articles, It is still confusing on the main differences between zoas and palys, becasue the main differences really don't exist! Keep asking questions, looking forward to seeing your tank up and running!
luisse25
Well-known member
to me theres no corals that are easy to keep..they said zoas/palys are beginners or easy but to me they are unpredictable...
to me palys have longer stalks bigger disks,zoas are shorter and tend to be smaller...but sometimes zoas gets longer stalks too,because they start reaching for light...i dont know zoas/palys are confusing too..but with the right condition they can be happy...but sometimes one day they look crappy/ugly and all close up and look shriveled then all of a sudden the next few days they are all open and pretty and happy like nothing happened..
sometimes will drive u nuts because they just melt with no reason.
u gotta think about predators too...before i dont dip corals...but then when i encountered one thats when i start dipping...
sundial snails
zoa eating nudis
zoa eating spiders
zoa pox
etc etc....
to me palys have longer stalks bigger disks,zoas are shorter and tend to be smaller...but sometimes zoas gets longer stalks too,because they start reaching for light...i dont know zoas/palys are confusing too..but with the right condition they can be happy...but sometimes one day they look crappy/ugly and all close up and look shriveled then all of a sudden the next few days they are all open and pretty and happy like nothing happened..
sometimes will drive u nuts because they just melt with no reason.
u gotta think about predators too...before i dont dip corals...but then when i encountered one thats when i start dipping...
sundial snails
zoa eating nudis
zoa eating spiders
zoa pox
etc etc....
Last edited:
ajnweb
Well-known member
Great point, sometimes not easy to keep. You can read about some of the troubles one may have, hopefully not, with zoas, unfortunately it is my thread! I think zoas tend to like high nutrient water, which is the exact opposite of what most people strive to acheive. Possibly our tanks are too clean for our zoas to truly thrive. The best growth from zoas that I have had was in a 10 gallon tank with no skimmer or refugium, just a 1 gallon water change once a week, and probably overfed the tank as well.
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48266
I think zoas tend to like high nutrient water, which is the exact opposite of what most people strive to acheive. Possibly our tanks are too clean for our zoas to truly thrive. The best growth from zoas that I have had was in a 10 gallon tank with no skimmer or refugium, just a 1 gallon water change once a week, and probably overfed the tank as well.http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48266
luisse25
Well-known member
but sometimes zoas dominate and thrive in an sps tank...zoas are really weird
im with you ajnweb,i have encountered sundial snails at first i thought they are cool snails i almost kept them in my zoa/paly dominated tank..later found out (research) they were predators yikes stupid me..
also encountered zoa pox ouch buy meds...
then zoa eating nudis flashlight every night and dip dip dip
zoas/palys are a pain in the butt but i like them a lot
im with you ajnweb,i have encountered sundial snails at first i thought they are cool snails i almost kept them in my zoa/paly dominated tank..later found out (research) they were predators yikes stupid me..
also encountered zoa pox ouch buy meds...
then zoa eating nudis flashlight every night and dip dip dip
zoas/palys are a pain in the butt but i like them a lot
ajnweb
Well-known member
Speaking of flashlights, off to the tank right now with my flashlight in search of nudis!
