Although the palythoa species appears to be closely related to the zoanthid family with their heavy mat base and similar polyp appearance, they are actually part of a completely different family of soft coral called Sphenopidae. This family is a sibling to Zoanthidae and Neozoanthidae. hsvytmzweg
The palythoa species tends to be overlooked by most hobbyists due to its species sibling Protopalythoa and its well deserved perception. However if you look only at true palythoa (chromis paly, elegant moon paly, armor of god paly, etc) you will find some of the most amazing looking polyp corals rivaling some of the most incredible zoanthids…
The solid color palys have always been among the most popular soft corals available. The green and gold chromis palys are at the top of that list with beginning reefers. Their bright color, relative ease of mastery, and superb growth all make them an easy choice for a first coral to go into a tank.
The golden chromis palythoa, while more subdued colorwise, is significantly less common in the marine aquarium industry and therefore the golden chromis palythoa are generally more sought after.