zoa vs paly vs protopaly (+ a bonus xenia) (1 Viewer)

[eraserbones]

I have two polyps that I bought with names, and two that I bought unnamed from frag tanks -- in all cases I'm especially interested in knowing the genus but wouldn't mind knowing more about what to call them if I trade frags in the future.

First: this was sold to me as 'mari blues zoa':

MariBlues

• eraserbones
• May 30, 2020

I have no reason to question the ID, although I'm confused about it having 'mari' in the name since usually that just means 'maricultured'. Is that a well-known variety name?


Next up: sold as "Devil's Armor Paly"

Devil's Armor Paly

• eraserbones
• May 30, 2020

These polyps are in a connected cluster, but the polyps are on stalks. So maybe protopaly? Or maybe the presence of stalks aren't adequate for an ID?


This one is unknown. I'm guessing protopaly since each polyp is on a stalk and new polyps sprout far away and seemingly disconnected from their parents:

Unknown

• eraserbones
• May 30, 2020

(This is the only one that I can actually effectively grow; I have a nice big patch of it, unlike the other two which haven't even left their frag plugs after multiple years)


Finally... I'm sure this is a Xenia, but would love to know if there's a common name for this kind of Xenia beyond just 'Xenia'. Pompom maybe?

Xenia

• eraserbones
• May 30, 2020

...this one is likely to show up in 'frag it forward' just as soon as I know what to call it. It's growing like a weed.

Thanks in advance!

 

[dougers31]

Devil's armor or Armageddon zoa's seems to be correct.

 

[Davy Jones]

Mari is usually short for mariculture. Likely means the blue zoas are unnamed

 

[eraserbones]

Thanks all! Does anyone have a guess about whether the Devil's Armor is a poly, a zoa, or a protopaly? And, anyone want to take a guess about what I should call the Xenia?

 

[BlindSwordsman]

It seems you don't get a lot of replies to your questions so I'll try

The protopaly you have, I usually call 'button polyp' in general. There are some variations in colors, but usually brown or green. The green ones can have brown stripes with brown tentacles or the whole polyp can be completely green including the tentacles. The stores out there sometimes give them some sort of unique names like 'honey flytrap button polyp' or such (I don't remember exactly). But I just call them by their general name 'brown/green button polyps' :-D. They are usually cheap and some people don't like them because they are fast grower and very invasive (is that the right word?). I like them because they are big, bright, and hardy. But I grow them in separate rock just like my green star polyps. I like them but since their value is lower then my other stuff, I don't see the benefit of having them taking over my whole tank.

The xenia you have is usually called in the mix and match terms of 'pink' 'pulsing' 'Red Sea' 'pom pom' xenia, I believe. So, I guess you can pick out whatever term you like to call it. I normally hear 'pink pulse (with or without the term 'pom pom') xenia'. There is another similar sort that also pulses, with darker brown stripes and longer polyps that is called 'pulse silver branch xenia'. I think the xenia common names include 'waving hand' coral. But I personally wouldn't call these that, just because when I hear 'waving hand coral', I think that is the Anthellia, not the Xenia.

... And I think the Devil's Armor is a palythoa, not zoanthid or protopalythoa.

 

[eraserbones]

Thank you @BlindSwordsman! Very helpful.