With all due respect, and I mean this as nicely as possible, there are many reasons why I am against naming zoos. I'm not cutting anyone down for doing it, and I wouldn't say one bad thing about anyone who does. Here's what I have seen over the past year that supports my stand along with why I feel the way I do. Naming zoos is great for the people who enjoy it, but I just happen to feel completely different about the whole name game, here's why.
1. I have actually watched 2 reefers argue over the name of a zoanthid. I mean they almost came to blows over, " A NAME". Why? I won't call the name in question, but Reefer A thought he was getting one thing, and Reefer B sold him something that wasn't what Reefer A thought it was. A week had past when Reefer A was told by Reefer C that the colony wasn't what Reefer B told Reefer A it was. Now here's the funny thing, both Reefer A and B, couldn't keep anything alive in their tanks. Both knew nothing about husbandry or water Chemistry. Both of their tanks looked like a swamp, diatoms everywhere, cyano on the substrate and thick green hair algae, yet here they were arguing over a name. Both had killed at least a dozen colonies of exceptional zooanthids.
I have spoken with one or two reefers in this forum, who can't get their zoos to multiply, their zoos continue to lose coloration, they have poor expansion, their zoos are always sick or simply collapsing on a weekly bases, yet they argue with me over the name of a polyp. Now I know I'm going to get my throat cut over this, but this is the truth. I'm into educating, ldiscovery, learning and sharing the knowledge that will promote a prospering system. I know it's fun to name them, but far too much emphasis is being placed on a name, and not on education. I've yet to see weekly discussions to enlighten the forum on what someone has discovered, experienced, how and what they did to consistently improve the appearance and overall health of their collection. I've yet to see what common or new and innovative "things" someone has tried that has improved the health of their zoos.
2. A name is what is being used both online and in LFS to rip a lot of unsuspecting reefers off, including a lot of newbies. I have seen it more times than I can count. I have watch LFS tell an unsuspecting reefer, " OH, these are the real deal. They are call Kamikaze Reds, they are extremely rare and very very expensive. But I'll cut you a deal. 10 polyps for $ 80". This is what the name game has done. Now here's the killer, the zoos weren't even red, they were orange, under heavy actinics, but the buyers was hyped by the sellers word game. I know that naming was a positive thing, but others have used it for gain. Others find it simply enjoyable to name them, and that's cool. However, at the same time, there are reefers who won't take a hot minute to read or research what it takes to maintain a happy and healthy zoo colony. I don't understand that. Now I know if my name was Calfo or Dr. Photoperiod, someone would see what I'm trying to convery. And no, there's not an arrogant nor cocky bone in my body. From my heart I just want us to be able to grow, keep, cultivate and propagate consistantly healthy corals. This is where I think the real focus should be directed.
3. Naming zoos would be great if there was a universal nomenclature (
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/nomenclature ) that designates them all. That will never happen, therefore, you will always have reefers arguing over a name, reefers being ripped off because of a name as well as misrepresentation.
4. It's one of the reasons I stopped selling zoos. I sent 4 frags to L.A., a few years ago. I sent pics before hand along with a detailed description. Once they arrived, I was questioned about the names of the zoos. My response, well since I didn't discover them, I didn't feel the need to assign a name. His reply, well he said the first frag was a "Moody Blue", the second was a " Kawasaki Orange", I forgot the two other names. He never mentioned the deal that I gave him. He never said thank you, he never even noticed that I gave him twice the number of polyps at no extra cost. Bottom line, he was more concerned with the name, than anything else. Two weeks later, he emailed me. He stated not only were the zoos I sent him looking bad, but all of his zoos were in trouble. I sent him a list of 10 things to check. Everything was fine, then I ask a few more questions, and told him to get a volt meter. Sure enough, he had crazy stray voltage. It was at this time that he noticed his fish were hiding. He placed his hand in his take and -Bizzzzzzzzzzzzz....electricity. He lost everything as it was present for some time. He didn't notice it because he used rubber gloves when he worker in his tank. And to think, he placed more emphasis on a name, then he did on the stray voltage which wiped out his tank.
5. Finally, a couple years ago, I had this crazy color growing in my tank. I sold one frag to a local reefer. Within two weeks, someone had attached my name to the title and name of this morph. Yes, it was called "Mucho's - - - - - Zooanthid. LOL
I'm not asking anyone to agree with me, it's just my opinion and my opinion alone. Naming zoos is fun and the names are very unique. I simply choose to focus on other areas that will sustain the zoo keepers long after all the unique names have been exhausted.
Great site Whodah.
Mucho
Really though, naming them makes it easier to ID.
