Wasn't going to say anything in this thread/forum anymore, but couldn't let this comment pass without throwing up my $.02 worth. No offense intended organism, as I agree with most of what you have to say.
My humble opinion on the above . . . while many zoanthids have the same or similar needs, the simple truth is that not all of them do. By promoting this position, we contribute to an idea that I absolutely hate; zoanthids are a good beginner coral because they all have the same basic needs and they grow like weeds (not at all true IMO/E). Further, by promoting this view, we IMO actually stiffle the desire/need to answer threads or participate in informational discussions. Why bother? They all have the same basic needs as every other coral, and if someone would just search basic tank parameters, 99% of their questions could be/would be answered. IMO, by stating/using the same retoric over and over again, all we are doing is stiffling the desire for participation in this forum. Sorry if I appear to be ranting, just had to share my opinion on the subject.
Clarification
1. Zoas and Palys are not easy to keep, they can be if one knows what they're doing.
2. Scopus, you are not RANTING buddy, I just kinda wish everyone would stop saying that.
You are just respectfully stating your opinion whether for or against others. That's all I see and again there's no harm or foul in that at all.
I don't see rhetoric. It's not rhetoric when the same questions are asked and discussed and answered in this forum everyday? It's not rhetoric when people come here and post their issues without posting the background needed for us to answer those questions. It's not rhetoric when the same type of threads, discussions and opinions show up day after day, week after week and month after month. It's the nature of the beast, or should I say, of public forums. I think we exacerbate these issues with the labels and adjectives we use, which have been used by others in this thread, which only serve to fan the flames of discourse. I keep hearing, "oh no, not this topic again", or, "here we go again", when everything posted in this forum and on the net is "here we go again". That's just the way it is and no one is going to agree with everything written here. Often when I see something which I don't like to see, tired of seeing or reading, don't agree with or choose not to involve myself in, I just look away and won't reply to it. I will never tell anyone they can't talk about it and I'm not saying you did, but others have.
3. Back to the original topic of creating a DB for classifications of all the polyps out there. To be very honest, I feel that it can possibly be very detrimental if newbies rely on this list for their captive care. Relying on a list via classification can never replace buying a good reference book, doing some simple research, testing, watching, monitoring and documenting your tank accordingly.
I have already stated my opinion on it so I won't go there again. If somebody wants to do that, then go ahead I say. Instead, I want to create a scenario and anyone for or against can answer these questions.
1st scenario
If a reefer, newbie or oldbie 
, it doesn't matter, has a 70 gallon reef tank, with 20 colonies or frags of zoas and palys and 50% of the rest of his tank was softies, and those 20 zoa colonies were 5 from the Caribbean, 5 are Indo, 5 from Australia and 5 from Figi and one colony of let's say....the Africans that Organism mentioned. My question is this, how will knowing their classification benefit the owner of this tank? Explain.
2nd scenario
Another reefer has a 70 gallon tank which consist of 20 colonies of Caribbean polyps only. Which tank would benefit the most or at all from knowing their classification? One, both, or neither, why?
I have a part two which is my reply, once I hear what you guys/gals think. I'm just asking, no fights, no darts, no flames and no tricks. I'm just asking.
I still feel the cart's before the horse. I have wanted to say this for a long time but I just know someone would say that it is rude, so I'm not gonna say it. Instead, I will say this, you can create as many list as possible on any of the above topics discussed in this thread, if there are reefers who aren't versed on the basics of even owning a reef tank, none of those exhaustive list will do a single bit of good when his tank is crashing and his corals are dying. There are reefers who got into reefing on a whim and many basic reefing practices are not being implemented or adhered to. "WHAT YOU TALKIN BOUT WILLIS ???". I spoke to Rokie last week and revealed that I have secretly been working on revamping the "Zoanthid Information Draft" at the top of this page. I want to do this for those reefers who lack and seek what they need to be successful in reefing in this forum.
Question, which will have a direct and immediate impact on the very issues which many are experiencing in this forum daily, the classification list or the Zoanthid Information Database?
Organism hits the nail square on the head, this is my point in a nutshell. Since I hate names, I won't use one, but there are 3 distinct polyps which I have heard reefers say for years that no one can keep them alive and they always crash. Organism says it best, salinity alone can cause problems and still many never check it, horrible parameters can be a killer, dropping polyps in a tank that have been shipped cross country in cold water at 50 degrees without heat packs in the dead of winter to Michigan, and placed directly into a tank whose temp is 79 degrees, is a killer. How many of those reefers who lost their polyps ever took the time to find out what the other reefers who lost them did right or wrong? How many even know to check? I know a guy who lost those bright yellow and black polyps everyone wanted last year. I stopped by his house and ask about his test kits, he replied, he didn't own any. He spent hundreds of dollars on a few polyps, and he didn't own a single test kit. He used a salt which I would never suggest using and he had a tank full of surgeons. He placed the cart, which was the purchase of those expensive polyps, before the horse, basic captive care for any corals.
Most polyp issues are due to stress, neglect and a lack of knowledge, not because they are neglectful reefers, many just don’t know. Also, improper parameters, a lack of basic husbandry skill sets and persistent moving and fragging. I use to order on line from a lot of stores prior to 2005/2006 when names were created and prices rose. Half of the time my polyps arrived dead, dying, with fungus/infections, water temps which dropped below 50 degrees due to no heat packs or those which did not activate. Some were so slimmed I had to nurse them back to health. Shipping and especially improper shipping can and will be stressful and sometimes to the point of causing mortality. Corals are not cut from the reef on Monday and arrived to a LFS on Tuesday. Someone correct me if the collection/expediting process has changed in recent years. If the focus was a shift from all that's been discussed, to some basic reefing 101 list and databases being created and discussed, I think you'd see a lot more support for this venture.
Not looking for a fight, let’s just continue to discuss this, no matter how redundant, no matter how long and often this issue arises.
While typing this, I just took a quick look at DEEC77's post a few minutes ago, as a result, I just deleted an entire paragraph as she is saying exactly what I wanted to say. + 100 DEEC77 as I agree with all you've stated. 80% to 90% of what's needed to know about keeping polyps can be found with a search in this forum, a search on Google or just participating in these discussion. The 5 topics I continue to mention over and over again will not do a single thing to keep your polyps happy, healthy or even a live.
Kichimark, that kid has most likely turned his back on reefing forever and will probably discourage others from pursuing this hobby as well.
Zoas are going to tolerate and/or prefer 2 types of internal current, med and high. But what's medium, and what's high? Larger disc polyps with longer shirts can tolerate higher flow. Small disc polyps with short nubby skirts can't tolerate the same high flow. But MUCHO, what is high flow vs medium flow. Random current which doesn't cause retraction in either polyp, 100 % each and every single time tells you what med and high flow is. I have grown zoas like this to the point they grew out of my tank. I know some reefers who have grown the most stunning array of diverse polyps that you can imagine, some OG's and some newbies. None have ever purchased a flow meter, none have ever not understood what either flow is. I have shared this with reefers for 15 years, random current which slightly wiggles/moves the polyps without blowing the long skirt over the oral disc to the point of causing retraction, conversely, smaller polyps with shorter skirts would tolerate less. That is it in a nutshell. Yes, it's just that simple.
In closing, no one can stop anyone from creating anything here as long as it doesn't violate RC's rules and regs. So I think someone show just go ahead and do it. Again, in the interim, I still wish we could get just as much energy, time and attention paid to all the questions which need attention, as oppose to the overwhelming attention to pictures, videos, ID's and names. That's all I'm asking. Knowing if it is a Sociatus or a hippopotamus means nothing if basic reefing practices are not implemented on a daily basis, a daily basis. Again, the knowledge is great, I’m all for it, but why not the same vigor with the meat of this forum? I yield the floor.
Mucho Reef
