Learning Zoa's names?

[Percher]

Is there a good place to start learning all the common names for the color schemes on the zoa's I see here on the forums or is it something that you pick up by reading/lurking for long enough?

To be honest I feel a little lost. When I left the hobby seeing anything beyond two colors on a zoa was kind of rare and I thought I was the coolest kid on the block when the browned out zoa my LFS gave me for free turned out to be pink with a green center. Most of what I saw in stores was just named by the colors you'd see.

 

[kichimark]

This is a good place to start: zoaid.com

 

[greg1786]

Is there a good place to start learning all the common names for the color schemes on the zoa's I see here on the forums or is it something that you pick up by reading/lurking for long enough?

To be honest I feel a little lost. When I left the hobby seeing anything beyond two colors on a zoa was kind of rare and I thought I was the coolest kid on the block when the browned out zoa my LFS gave me for free turned out to be pink with a green center. Most of what I saw in stores was just named by the colors you'd see.

Zoaid.com is a great website as the above poster stated. I agree eith you though. Trying to id zoas can get quite overwhelming. I keep trying to figure it out but its crazy!! There is sooo many different names given to the same zoa its nearly impossible. For istance I have some green, purple, and yellow zoas that ive seen labled as inside outs, john deeres, and one other crazy name that escapes me at the moment. I wish you luck on your endeavor lol.

 

[A. Grandis]

I really don't care for the Cartoon names much, but I agree that Zoaid.com should be one of the best out there. You can find more, but we're not allowed to post here because they do sell livestock and that would go against ReefCentral's rules.
You should be able to find most types of cartoon names simply by using Google too.
There is an "ID forum" here and you can ask questions there about those names:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=484

Welcome to the zoa forum! :thumbsup:

Grandis.

 

[terrypercula]

Some people hate the names and think it ruin the hobby. Frankly it's easier and more fun to tell someone they have whammin watermelon then saying the one with the green and red on it. Zoaid and coralpedia are both good sites.

 

[KafudaFish]

Some people hate the names and think it ruin the hobby. Frankly it's easier and more fun to tell someone they have whammin watermelon then saying the one with the green and red on it. Zoaid and coralpedia are both good sites.

Yes it is easier to say whammin watermelon instead of green and red but the issue is sometimes the names add confusion instead of clarity to the hobby.

Each vendor or even hobbyist can rename those whammin watermelons whatever they wish and claim to have two different color morphs when it is still "just" WWs.

There have been people who have shown their tanks here and other sites, listing what was stocked and it has turned out they had three frags of WWs from three different sources and each had a different catchy name.

If learning the names is what interests you, go for it, enjoy, and help others out when you are able.

 

[eg8r210]

Each vendor or even hobbyist can rename those whammin watermelons whatever they wish and claim to have two different color morphs when it is still "just" WWs.

How did hobbyists explain a sunny D polyp to another hobbyist before it was called Sunny D? Then how did they explain the same polyp when the orange started changing color when put under different lighting? I think the color morphing poses an issue no matter how you choose to describe the polyp.

 

[leveldrummer]

The names dont mean anything, polyps drift in color depending on tanks and lighting.

The names are just made up cartoon names, certain polyps are known under several different names, many names cover several similar morphs of colors.

 

[KafudaFish]

How did hobbyists explain a sunny D polyp to another hobbyist before it was called Sunny D? Then how did they explain the same polyp when the orange started changing color when put under different lighting? I think the color morphing poses an issue no matter how you choose to describe the polyp.

That is a good question. You either described the zoa, looked at a picture or if you were at a frag swap you would say, "Do you have any X colored zoas?" then you would look and ask to buy a small colony ("No, one over and back one.") followed by "How much do you want for the 20 polyps?".

I know it sounds like it doesn't work but if you look through some current builds from outside the US many of the names aren't there and when asked why names aren't discussed the answer has been that it isn't needed.

Good, bad, or indifferent the names are entrenched in the hobby and will probably be here from now on because we as people like to group and classify things.

I know that you dislike when old timers talk about the way the hobby was but to be honest it really has changed and many of these changes started around 2004 - 05.

The good thing about this hobby is there is something for everyone and I think that we often lose focus on that point.

 

[A. Grandis]

The names aren't a big deal, really.
I don't say I hate the names. I just don't care to learn them.
It is much easier to find what you're talking about when we search for the cartoon name. Yes, it is.
They aren't ID though. That's true.
You can search for such cartoon name and find so many versions of that...
Again, not a big deal...
Please don't get so defensive.

Grandis.

 

[terrypercula]

I wasn't really defensive but I've seen people on here not you but others rip on the names hard. I have seen people new to the hobby get ripped off because the store selling called it some crazy name said it was rare and sold it for $150 per polyp but frankly I think the names can be fun and like I said easier to help identify polyps.

 

[eg8r210]

I know that you dislike when old timers talk about the way the hobby was but to be honest it really has changed and many of these changes started around 2004 - 05.

The good thing about this hobby is there is something for everyone and I think that we often lose focus on that point.

I have no problem hearing old timers talk about the way the hobby was but just like elderly, the old timers here think that the way it was is the only way it should ever be. You know when you go to your grandparents house and they talk about the good ole days and how everything used to be better and their way is the only way to be successful. Well that is the same BS we usually get here.

I can respect the hobby has changed, I actually embrace change. I just don't buy into the statement that everything done the old way was the better way or the only way for the hobby to sustain itself.

 

[KafudaFish]

I think the better term would be different not better.

 

[650-IS350]

IT would be great for the hobby if they had one " TRUE " encyclopedia for Zoa / Paly identification but they don't heck even Coral Pedia and other ID sites have multiple same looking polyps with several different names.

You also have every tom dick and harry store / online store naming the same Z's and P's different names as well which further makes it harder to really have a true identity on the same polyp. Until all reefers/ collectors / stores / sellers get in the same page... you'll see same thing over and over again. I just use CP and other ID sites now as general ID but not GOSPEL.

 

[leveldrummer]

I have no problem hearing old timers talk about the way the hobby was but just like elderly, the old timers here think that the way it was is the only way it should ever be. You know when you go to your grandparents house and they talk about the good ole days and how everything used to be better and their way is the only way to be successful. Well that is the same BS we usually get here.

I can respect the hobby has changed, I actually embrace change. I just don't buy into the statement that everything done the old way was the better way or the only way for the hobby to sustain itself.

:deadhorse:

you keep saying "the old says" like we are talking about the 1800's, we are talking about 4 years ago, when colonies of polyps could be bought for 50 bucks, instead of a little white disc with 2 polyps barely hangin on.

This is some ideal different time, this is just a little while ago before slick sellers started giving polyps stupid names and asking astronomical prices for them. They arent rare, they arent worth that, and its sad to see young hobbyists, being taken advantage of, and sky rocketing prices for the rest of us in the process.

 

[leveldrummer]

IT would be great for the hobby if they had one " TRUE " encyclopedia for Zoa / Paly identification but they don't heck even Coral Pedia and other ID sites have multiple same looking polyps with several different names.

You also have every tom dick and harry store / online store naming the same Z's and P's different names as well which further makes it harder to really have a true identity on the same polyp. Until all reefers/ collectors / stores / sellers get in the same page... you'll see same thing over and over again. I just use CP and other ID sites now as general ID but not GOSPEL.

EXACTLY! currently the names are next to pointless. They generally do give some idea about how the polyp should look, but even the polyp itself will change color in a different tank and lighting. so what good is the name?

 

[cloak]

Some people hate the names and think it ruins the hobby. Frankly, it's easier and more fun to tell someone they have whammin watermelons then saying the one with the green and red on it. Zoaid and coralpedia are both good sites.

+1.

If I was to ask somebody what kind of a car they drive, and they said a Toyota. Well, they didn't really answer my question. Toyota what? Highlander, Tacoma, Corolla, Camry, Echo, Pathfinder, Avalon, Prius, etc, etc, etc. Also, what year is it? As time goes by, the models will change a little.
These names just distinguish one car from the other. It's the same thing with the zoanthids IMO.

 

[650-IS350]

f I was to ask somebody what kind of a car they drive, and they said a Toyota. Well, they didn't really answer my question. Toyota what? Highlander, Tacoma, Corolla, Camry, Echo, Pathfinder, Avalon, Prius, etc, etc, etc. Also, what year is it? As time goes by, the models will change a little.
These names just distinguish one car from the other. It's the same thing with the zoanthids IMO.

IF all were consistent with that in this hobby then no prob see my previous post.

 

[cloak]

I saw that already, but I still had to voice my opinion.

"IMO" were the operative words...

 

[leveldrummer]

+1.

If I was to ask somebody what kind of a car they drive, and they said a Toyota. Well, they didn't really answer my question. Toyota what? Highlander, Tacoma, Corolla, Camry, Echo, Pathfinder, Avalon, Prius, etc, etc, etc. Also, what year is it? As time goes by, the models will change a little.
These names just distinguish one car from the other. It's the same thing with the zoanthids IMO.

thats great, but if you had one toyota corolla that cost 15k bucks, then some guy changed that corolla to be called "super ultra rare carolla" and tried to charge 500k for it, you would probably think a little differently.

By the way, Spawn is my all time fav.