What is this Zoa?

encrustingacro

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Lois like some type of green palythoa due to the stalks
Definitely looks like a Paly to me, but never seen one so white under white light (the blue is probably just the white paly reflecting the blue LED light).

I think you should name them... White Walker Palys!
It's not a Paly; it's Zoanthus gigantus

Zoa doesn’t have stalks like that. Palythoa does

Closed zoa in front vs closed palythoa in the back
3DD0E6C1-2E41-477D-9465-84D19C0FDB03.jpeg
Both Zoanthus and Palythoa can have or not have stalks. Z. vietnamensis has long stalks, and P. tuberculosa doesn't have stalks. The main difference between Zoanthus and Palythoa is a rough mesoglea in Palythoa.
Palythoa tuberculosa; Bali, Indonesia | Credit: Scott and Jeanette Johnson
1729638491792.png

Zoanthus vietnamensis; Singapore | Credit: Budak on Inaturalist
1729638774085.png


Notice the radiating striations on the capitulum; telltale sign of Z. gigantus.
 
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VintageReefer

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It's not a Paly; it's Zoanthus gigantus


Both Zoanthus and Palythoa can have or not have stalks. Z. vietnamensis has long stalks, and P. tuberculosa doesn't have stalks. The main difference between Zoanthus and Palythoa is a rough mesoglea in Palythoa.
Palythoa tuberculosa; Bali, Indonesia | Credit: Scott and Jeanette Johnson
1729638491792.png

Zoanthus vietnamensis; Singapore | Credit: Budak on Inaturalist
1729638774085.png



Notice the radiating striations on the capitulum; telltale sign of Z. gigantus.
I’ve heard of gigantus but not seen them. Thanks for the info!

Cool find!
 

JoJosReef

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It's not a Paly; it's Zoanthus gigantus


Both Zoanthus and Palythoa can have or not have stalks. Z. vietnamensis has long stalks, and P. tuberculosa doesn't have stalks. The main difference between Zoanthus and Palythoa is a rough mesoglea in Palythoa.
Palythoa tuberculosa; Bali, Indonesia | Credit: Scott and Jeanette Johnson
1729638491792.png

Zoanthus vietnamensis; Singapore | Credit: Budak on Inaturalist
1729638774085.png



Notice the radiating striations on the capitulum; telltale sign of Z. gigantus.
Great info! Thanks! For those of you following that don't know what a capitulum is, I had to look it up:
1729657223129.jpeg


Now I'm going to go check out my Daisy Dukes, Rainbow Infusions and Hot Toddies to see if they are really Z. gigantus, as I've always thought they were palys.
 

Cichlid Dad

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It's not a Paly; it's Zoanthus gigantus


Both Zoanthus and Palythoa can have or not have stalks. Z. vietnamensis has long stalks, and P. tuberculosa doesn't have stalks. The main difference between Zoanthus and Palythoa is a rough mesoglea in Palythoa.
Palythoa tuberculosa; Bali, Indonesia | Credit: Scott and Jeanette Johnson
1729638491792.png

Zoanthus vietnamensis; Singapore | Credit: Budak on Inaturalist
1729638774085.png



Notice the radiating striations on the capitulum; telltale sign of Z. gigantus.
Thank you, I was kinda confused as
Some of my zoa have stocks.
IMG_20240929_084545945.jpg
.
 

crush665

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IMO I think they are Palythoa, they look almost identical to what I had. If they are growing fast and smothering your other zoes/corals they are definitely palys. This is what happened to me, they completely took over my 20G nano and I had sooo much of it after a 6 month period I could actually smell them when I entered the room where the tank was located, and felt like the smell was stuck in my sinus. I eventually had to tear my tank down and bleach all the rock OUTSIDE, the smell once I started to disturb them was crazy! Good luck, and just to be on the safe side, please do wear gloves if you put your hands in the tank, handle them or end up trying to remove/kill them because palytoxin is a really serious thing, people have died or have come really close to it.
I think the key thing is are they growing really fast and killing/smothering other zoa in their path?
 

mdpitts

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I have been going nuts trying to find zoas similar to yours. I was thinking Hawaiian something’s also. I’ve purchased Ding Dangs and some called Milky Way and they look very close. I’m newish to reefing but I’ve heard and seen how zoas will look different in different tanks. I guess obviously due to lighting but also parameter differences I assume. You have some gorgeous zoas.
 

ChrisfromBrick

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IMO I think they are Palythoa, they look almost identical to what I had. If they are growing fast and smothering your other zoes/corals they are definitely palys. This is what happened to me, they completely took over my 20G nano and I had sooo much of it after a 6 month period I could actually smell them when I entered the room where the tank was located, and felt like the smell was stuck in my sinus. I eventually had to tear my tank down and bleach all the rock OUTSIDE, the smell once I started to disturb them was crazy! Good luck, and just to be on the safe side, please do wear gloves if you put your hands in the tank, handle them or end up trying to remove/kill them because palytoxin is a really serious thing, people have died or have come really close to it.
I think the key thing is are they growing really fast and killing/smothering other zoa in their path?
not all palys do this
 
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OldRed1

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I have been going nuts trying to find zoas similar to yours. I was thinking Hawaiian something’s also. I’ve purchased Ding Dangs and some called Milky Way and they look very close. I’m newish to reefing but I’ve heard and seen how zoas will look different in different tanks. I guess obviously due to lighting but also parameter differences I assume. You have some gorgeous zoas.
Thanks! Here’s a full tank shot of my mixed zoa garden.
 

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Hockeypunk1

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They look exactly like what I have in my fuge which I've always assumed were some sort of green palythoa. I've had them since I first started growing corals. I had no idea that palythoa could be dangerous but they seem happy in my fuge. Interesting to hear that they could actually be some sort of zoa
 

mdpitts

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Thanks! Here’s a full tank shot of my mixed zoa garden.
I love that. I think I need a zoa tank. I love that the acans sort of resemble a zoa garden - they fit right in. I just pick up a Fluval Flex 32 brand new for $100 and I think that might be my zoa tank. Maybe a few euphyllia for fun like you have.
 

nickman

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The first Palys in question look Tongan to me. Could also be "Hawaiian" depending on date of import.
We have some Hawaiian Ding Dang look-alikes (From Tonga :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:) that look very close to yours.
 

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