Friend or Foe???

[TonyGolato]

Are these polyps beneficial or nuisances? (see attachment)

 

[Deinonych]

Looks like Palythoa sp. Personal preference - some people like them, others don't. I wouldn't consider them a nuisance, FWIW.

 

[MizTanks]

Look to be Green Implosion Palys. Very invasive. Will choke out anything near by.

 

[Fishkeeper44]

Yes. They look like palys. If you put them on an isolated rock they are fine but if not they will TAKE OVER. Then you try to get them out and kill them in the process and of course the are toxic once dead. The only way to get rid of the is to take that rock out. I would isolate them in the sand bed if i were you.

 

[ThRoewer]

Look to be Green Implosion Palys. Very invasive. Will choke out anything near by.

I kind of like them but they are better for a tank with anemones, mushrooms, zoas or soft corals than stony coral.

Add an angelfish and they are toast. In my current tank I had some nice green ones that came out of two live rocks. A few weeks ago I added a regal angel and a week later moved the frag rack up (they sting corals like crazy). With the rack out of the way the regal must have started to go after them because now they don't open anymore.
A regal I had before took a bit longer to discover the palys I had in his tank but munched them away within a few days after he discovered his taste for them.

 

[snorvich]

I consider them a nuisance but then I consider mushroom corals and related a nuisance.

 

[MondoBongo]

I consider them a nuisance but then I consider mushroom corals and related a nuisance.

as i've gotten better at growing stony corals, i've come to view all soft corals are nuisance. they take up valuable space where i could be putting fuzzy sticks. :rollface:

to the OP, i get rid of all my Z's and P's a few years back, for various reasons. however at the top of that list was the fact that they do tend to spread like wild fire, and if they get on to a base rock, can be very problematic to get rid of.

 

[TonyGolato]

Many thanks all for your replies!
Interestingly they seem to be playing nicely with their polyp, mushroom and ricordea neighbors. I don't notice any feuding at this point so I will keep them around but will monitor their progress.
Kind regards and thanks again,
Tony