Pocilliopora the Pest

[jimroth]

I have a really nice Pocilliopora, it's the rainbow variety, purple with a yellow and green underneath.
This stuff reproduces, produces settling planulae, and it's starting to make me nervous. It originally made a couple colonies at the foot of the parent. I now have hundreds of tiny colonies in the tank, small and slow growing, but it's there. I think I have a density of about 5 colonies per square foot. They are on the overflow weir. They are on the substrate. They are on some unlucky snails! Pocillopora has set up shop in choice spots where I have planted my favorite acros, and it fights back, although not hard.
I have done some killing of it with kalk paste but it actually resists that prtty well. It is educational in that it has gained a foothold in areas where I thought there was not enough light for coral.
What should I do? Has anyone ever torn a tank down due to Pocilliopora infestation? I have enough foresight to see that eventually my tank will be a huge hairy purple mass of Pocilliopora if I don't act.

When it was new:

Today:

 

[CleveYank]

I'm going to be moving my pocci's to my LPS/softy tank. Surely the only tankmates that are worthy to combat such an agressive coral. lol.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I have a green strain that's kind of invasive. My pink damicornis isn't nearly as intrusive as the green. Neither are my other species of Poci.

I don't have the type you have, Jim.
I'd be interested in a frag of that.

One suggestion for Poci control: Butterflyfish. A lot of species feed on Pocillipora.

 

[jimroth]

I have a green strain that's kind of invasive. My pink damicornis isn't nearly as intrusive as the green. Neither are my other species of Poci.

I don't have the type you have, Jim.
I'd be interested in a frag of that.

One suggestion for Poci control: Butterflyfish. A lot of species feed on Pocillipora.

I should definitely start cutting some frags. I wonder if there's a butterfly that PREFERS Pocillipora to Acropora....

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I should definitely start cutting some frags. I wonder if there's a butterfly that PREFERS Pocillipora to Acropora....

there most definitely is.
As a matter of fact, there are several species that prefer Pocillipora above all else

 

[dvanacker]

I think that is a sweet coral......your lucky!

 

[AKG10]

If a frag gets too big just break it off and give it away or throw it out. It looks like a nice coral, I'm sure someone would want it. Not a bad "pest" to have though.

 

[naldopr]

man I will love to have a frag nice Poci

 

[weeftard]

Wow how long did it takle for that amount of growth? Not to thread jack for my own selfish purpose, but how high in the tank is it? I have one 2 inch poc. and I just moved it up higher in the tank and i noticed it colored up like crazy. I have mine under 2 250 15k's

 

[jimroth]

Wow how long did it takle for that amount of growth? Not to thread jack for my own selfish purpose, but how high in the tank is it? I have one 2 inch poc. and I just moved it up higher in the tank and i noticed it colored up like crazy. I have mine under 2 250 15k's

It's about 2.5 years at this point. It's high in the tank, about 6" under the surface, maybe 18" under the lights. Most of that time it was under 250W 15K SE's now it's under 400W 12K SE's. Because it settles everywhere in the dang reef, I know it will grow in almost any light except actual shade. Down low in the tank it grows much slower, and only the tips color up. But it does grow.

 

[finksmart]

I'll take a frag as well. That's a nice coral.

 

[weeftard]

Sweet i'll keep mine high up where it is !! thanks jim!

 

[Chato2701]

Coral looks good!

 

[soulsigma]

My favorite coral, cant wait for mines to color up, they are recovering for nutrient over load.

 

[UWUALineman]

Any update on this? I have got an infestation consuming rocks, glass, overflows, frag tanks, and pruning it off rocks with a butter knife is getting quite redundant.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

interesting

interesting

I got a frag of Jim's rainbow Poci a while ago and it's nowhere as invasive as the other Poci's (pinks and greens) in my reef aquarium

 

[ryanrid]

there is one type of pocci (that i know of) which does not produce asexually, cant remember the species but here is a pic

 

[thebanker]

I've had green pocillopora reproduce in my tank. It is indeed sexual reproduction, right?

 

[sweet ride]

just be happy! what it tells you is that your running a pretty good system!

how ever I do have the same issue with the green/rainbow!!! like everyone said it's a good problem to have, just let it grow a little bit more then frag it and give it away!

 

[tinctorus]

PM SENT on some frags for my dying father since his reef tank I setup for him is his pride and joy...He sits in front of that 65 gallon reef for 6-8 hours a day just totally amazed at the fish,live rock,shrimp, coral and other little critters in the tank

Ive even caught him at night with a flashlight with a red filter on it just staring at the tank o see what comes out at night, not to mention the every morning questions of hey last light I saw this inthe tank what do you think it could be LOL

Anything that makes him feel a bit better from the lung cancer is enough to make me happy