difference between zoo's & paly's

[srb5046th]

Can anybody explain the difference. On reefermadness they have zoo frags and paly frags.
Thanks

[CitCat21]

I believe in general so don't hold me to this.

Paly's are larger, don't require as much light, and are generally less pretty.

Zoo's Small like pencil erasers to alittle bigger, more light demanding, and much more colorful.

[Hooligomy]

Pretty good general explanation here:

http://www.extremereef.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 with pictures..

based on Eric Borneman article here:
http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0198/0198_1.html

Hope this helps..

[jreimer]

The easiest way to seperate these two genera (with Protopalythoa being included in Palythoa) is simple. Palythoa are in the family Sphenopidae, which take up sand and other small particles to help build their structure. Polyp, colony, coenenchyme (the "mat" tissue) and oral disk shape, as well as color, all are very flexible even within not only genera but also within species. Note that Epizoanthus and Parazoanthus also are encrusting (take up sand).

Zoanthus are in Zoanthidae (along with Isaurus and Acrozoanthus) and don't take up sand.

If you are not sure which type of zoanthid you have, take a high-res digital photo, and then zoom in. If you can see sand particles in the tissue, you aren't looking at a Zoanthus!

cheers,

james

[Zoozooman]

Thanks for the Post that Helped

[Briney Dave]

jreimer, that is a great definition in plain terms. I have seen so many struggle to explain that including myself

great job.

Briney Dave

[Reef Happy]

Is this a zoo or paly. This green thrives on the sand bottom. Running 250 watt MH with t5 atinics.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s200/flystr8up/DSC_0067.jpg

[gflat65]

Zoanthus sp. Check the stalks. I'm betting they are smooth (no sand/grit intake like in button polyps similar to what is commonly called Protoplaythoa psammaphila).

[Reef Happy]

cant see the stalks because of the polyps overlapping.

[Kinetic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9534243#post9534243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by D.G.
cant see the stalks because of the polyps overlapping.

then poke them with a stick... make them close up, lol!!!

[Pazazz]

Zoa....

[2fishy]

And this is why it pays to read through posts before posting!:D

I just came in here to post this same exact question! I have wondering this same thing! Thanks, srb5046th!:lol:

[Frick-n-Frags]

yeah, standard zoos.

[msman825]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9590350#post9590350 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kinetic
then poke them with a stick... make them close up, lol!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :mixed:

[Smork81]

I had posted in another thread about my zoas having the zoo pox...But after reading this i think they may be palys not zoas..I even bought them from a very active and reputable online saltwater sales site. I dont know if i can name it so i wont name the site so my thread doesnt get deleted. but anyway they were sold to me as green center zoas which look nothing like the picture they have on the site...I just thought mine were different..
the first pic is the colony about 3 weeks ago..the 2 after were taken tonight.. Palys or zoas? and what the heck is wrong with them? you can see small white spots on them but not very good pics sry. are these white spots sand or pox. Do palys get the zoo pox also? im confused.

when i got them
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l92/Smorkchop/zoo_paly_new.jpg

now the same colony
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l92/Smorkchop/now.jpg

a frag of that colony with the spots on the trunk
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l92/Smorkchop/spots.jpg

[aquarius77]

Those were palys.

[Smork81]

"were" palys? What's wrong with them?

[edwing206]

Smork81 looks like your green button polyps are dying.
Try putting them in high flow areas.

[Smork81]

thanks edwing206. What will high flow do? I thought they liked a medium flow.

[aquarius77]

How are your palys doing?

When i said that they "were" palys i meant that they were lookin real close to dead. I did not mean to sound rude but i think it came acrossed like that, I appologize.

[aquarius77]

I have some huge palys sold to me as RPE and they get blasted with flow from a maxi jet 1200 with a hydor wavemaker on it and they love it. It seems to me most zoos/palys i have had experience with will not be harmed by strong flow.

[Smork81]

They are looking much better thanks for asking. Oh and when i asked about the "were" i thought u meant they were allready goners heh.
I got an extra MJ1200 to put in my QT and have them a few inches away from that on some eggcrate. They are opening up more and seem to be getting better. But i also have them under much less lighting. They were on tte bottom of a 55g under 2x150w halides and 4 actinics. And on the QT i have only powercompacts..no halides. So im thinking maybe...light was also an issue as i just recently within the past 2 months recieved halides. Maybe they were shocked from the lights..Its a possibility but im not 100% sure.

[Echidna09]

Light probably wasn't it if they didn't react until 2 months later. The only thing that would cause the light to affect them that long after the change would be the extra algae growth that the brighter lights brought on. They look like they have stuff all over them, which is why you wanted to put them in higher flow; so it would be harder for algae to grow on the tissue and to blow sediment away so it doesn't get trapped between the polyps. If you keep them in low light they will lose color.

[crabbypatty]

palys for sure zoas are alway's smaller somtimes refered to as button polyps.

[NanoReefWanabe]

how do palys draw up sand if they are on the rocks?

only zoa /palys i have on the sand are my frags..

[Siffy]

Sand, Aragonite, Calcium Carbonate, Alkalinity... Same thing, different names. It's available in your water column for your corals to utilize.

[jimicasper]

we call them snake zoos here but they are palys!

[josephatmbibank]

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i126/player9123/IMG_6111.jpg

ATL red people eater this is my start up colony in my main 135. I accually have about 200 polyps in the probagation tank

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i126/player9123/IMG_6112.jpg

ATL powder pink palys

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i126/player9123/IMG_6113.jpg

Colony in the probagation tank .

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i126/player9123/IMG_6121.jpg

FIre and ice and red city blowpops zoos.


I sell alot in my local forum , some other city ones, and LFS to get credit ofr supplies. I think palys to me are nicer and definitly bigger with more vibrant colors.

-Joseph Le

[Dr Begalke]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7242049#post7242049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jreimer
The easiest way to seperate these two genera (with Protopalythoa being included in Palythoa) is simple. Palythoa are in the family Sphenopidae, which take up sand and other small particles to help build their structure.


What happens if you keep Palythoa in a BB tank??

[reefer3333]

good post topic:thumbsup:

[Rosseau]

I know that sponges are able to generate structural "spicules" using dissolves Si in the water.

I don't think that Zoa's/Paly's have this ability - or most don't anyways They must use sand grains, discarded sponge spicules etc.

Am I right with this? I'll look into some legitimate sources.

[Ritten]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7242049#post7242049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jreimer
The easiest way to seperate these two genera (with Protopalythoa being included in Palythoa) is simple. Palythoa are in the family Sphenopidae, which take up sand and other small particles to help build their structure. Polyp, colony, coenenchyme (the "mat" tissue) and oral disk shape, as well as color, all are very flexible even within not only genera but also within species. Note that Epizoanthus and Parazoanthus also are encrusting (take up sand).

Zoanthus are in Zoanthidae (along with Isaurus and Acrozoanthus) and don't take up sand.

If you are not sure which type of zoanthid you have, take a high-res digital photo, and then zoom in. If you can see sand particles in the tissue, you aren't looking at a Zoanthus!

cheers,

james

The other night I looked in my tank with a flashlight looking for any predators. I noticed for the first time that my Palys looked like they had white glitter on their stalks. Your post explains that - it's sand. Pretty cool.

[Pufferpunk]

http://www.farms-of-thesea.com/catalog/includes/languages/english/html/seamat.pdf

Zoanthus have smaller polyps and reproduce by forming buds from the base of the mated
tissue. The species unlike some of the others in the family does not incorporate sediment into
it’s base. The oral disk is in the center of tightly packed tentacles and appear in nature in a
variety of colors and endless combinations.

Palythoa have larger polyps but are also embedded in a common tissue. The texture of the
base of both the Palythoa and Protopalythoa is rough from the incorporation of sand and
sediment directly in the tissue. The assimilation of the material is thought to be both for
defense and support. The larger polyps lend themselves to feeding on larger meatier foods.

Protopalythoa much like the Palythoa in size but with the exception that the polyps are not
connected to one mass of tissue. Some seem to have less more pointed tentacles in some
cases they even alternate up and down (Sprung 2001)

I have no idea why it copied like that.