Green Star Polyps won't open

[shempdevil]

3 weeks ago, I bought a 6 lb piece of live rock with a large colony of green star polyps living on it. I bought them from a VERY reputable aquarist, Dr. Mac who owns Pacific East Aquaculture Coral Farm. The polyps were abundantly happy when I purchased them.

I introduced them to my tank, and they have never opened.
When I say never opened, I mean that no more than about 5 or 6 polyps have ever opened at any one time.

I have them positioned near the top of the tank, about 8" from my lighting fixture.
I have tried different levels of water movement by adjusting my jets for a few days, but no luck.

I know that Star Polyps are very simple corals and it baffles me that they won't open even though all of my other corals are happy.

Any ideas what might be the problem?


TANK DETAILS
46 Gallon Euro Bowfront Tank
36" Nova Extreme Pro 6x39w T5 (2 hrs dawn, 11 hrs daylight, 2 hrs dusk)
45 pounds of Florida Crushed Coral Substrate
45 pounds of Fiji Live Rock
(1) Maxi Jet 1200
(2) Maxi Jet 600
Shatterproof Heater
Emperor 400 Biowheel Filter
Tank Established for 32 months

CORALS
(3) Zooanthid Colonies
(2) Green Star Polyp Colony
(2) Brown Leather Colonies
(1) Trachyphillia Geofroyi
(1) Purple Leather Colony
(1) Mushroom Colony


Fish
(1) Blue Devil Damsel - Chrysiptera cyanea
(1) Banggai Cardinal - Pterapogon kauderni
(1) Lawnmower Blenny - Salarias fasciatus
(1) Saddled Valentini Puffer - Canthigaster valentini
(2) Blue Velvet Damsel - Neoglyphidodon oxyodon
(1) Brown Scopus Tang - Zebrasoma scopas



INVERTEBRATES
(3) Astrea Snails
(3) Turbo Snails
(3) Scarlet Hermit Crabs
(2) Bumble Bee Hermit Crabs

 

[fatrip]

well everything in your tank looks alright, but the first thing i would do is drop them to the sand. they dont need that much light to be 8inch down in the tank. i have found unlike other softies that they dont mind high flow but dont need it. the first thing i would do is drop them to the sand or almost on the bottom of the tank, maybe to the outer edges where there is less light. it sounds to me like they are in shock form the light. most people keep these under lower lighting so you would need to light acclimate them.

 

[Lance M.]

I agree, I would just leave them alone on the sand til they open up and then slowly move them higher over a couple weeks.

 

[Husky_1]

Have you ever used Fluke tabs in your tank? This happened to my GSP when i started dipping acro's. eventually I wanted to rid my tank of these guys anyway, but was hoping to wait another month until the rock I had was fully covered. I even took extra precautions of double dipping my frags before putting them in the tank.

BTW, I have found that GSP do not mind high light.

 

[fatrip]

they wont mind it if they are acclimated to it, but going from a lower light environment to a high like environment quickly will stress them enought to hide for a while.

 

[tanyashankles]

I had the same thing happen to me, I actually bought a star polyp colony because it wouldnt open at the LFS, and got a good size colony for 10.00 cuz they thought it was dead. But it took a long time for them to open, and when they did finally, they ALL opened. I moved them again recently because I upgraded to a bigger tank, and they got upset again, so they are closed up tight again, but they are opening again, one at a time, now there are about 5 open. Just get them lower in the tank (my two colonies are bottom only) and give them time. They will come around. Tanya

 

[ransomed4ever]

I have a gsp colony that went from a 2 inch frag to about 12 inches in a year, but it still gets irritated every once in a while and stays closed for some time. Sometimes a few weeks at a time. It always seems to happen after some sort of change in the tank, So maybe GSP is just picky once comfortable.

 

[Python73]

1 - GSP is notable for periods of staying closed. Genberally with no ill effects to the coral, which is as bulletproof as you expect.

2 - Unless you are trying to set them on fire, they are far too high in the tank, as people above have mentioned.

So, drop them down, keep them clean from debris, and otherwise just be patient. They will open eventually.

S !

 

[Reef-LeGeNd]

they will. Give them time.

 

[JohnLeoKnight]

Think maybe your puffer is bothering them? I had a Valentini and he LOVED eating my green star polyps.

 

[enchelycore808]

It's been 6 years. I think he figured it out by now lol!

 

[Triggerfish]

have they opened yet..ha

 

[Webmanny]

LMAO. I thought it was just me, but I noticed the jump from 2008 to 2014.

Good question above. Have they opened? I think enough time has passed. LOL

 

[rlhanks]

How about now?

 

[mickey204]

How about now?

lol