Prolific Green Star Polyps

[alde]

Greetings,

My Green Star Polyps are going nuts. In the last couple of weeks I have noticed that they are growing right up the stalks of some Button Polyps. The Button Polyps stay open until the purple matt from the Green Star Polyps just about goes to the top.

Has anybody else seen this? It's amazing how fast the move.

Best regards, Al

 

[Steve Richardson]

al...

Mine have done this... they started to grow up and over some Protopalythoa, and the star polyps were going to win the battle for sure. They grow too fast - and they dont seem to give a lick what they are growing on.

Luckily, the protopalythoa was on a rock I could take out... and I had to (carefully) pick off all of the creeping polyp tissue with a pair of foreceps. It was a p.i.t.a.. and I had to do it again a few days later since its hard to get it all... and polyps tend to spring up out of any leftovers.

get in there if you can.. they dont take long to get out of control.

-S

 

[grafxguy]

Maybe it's something in the air. My green star polyps have gone wild in the last two weeks. They are not in danger of growing onto other corals but they are finally doing what I had intended them to do and that was to start growing on the back tank glass. Mine have grown about 2 inches onto the glass in that two weeks. eric

 

[bjmumy]

Mine are doing the same thing. They are growing over everything in their path. I had to move a rock with clove polyps because the GSP had already killed some by growing over them and wasn't showing any signs of stopping. I am going to get rid of one rock that they now cover, but they are quickly taking over all of the rocks in the vicinity that are part of the reef structure. They are growing over the sand too. If anybody has any ideas on impeding their progress without picking the mat off of rocks with tweezers, I'd love to hear it. I really don't want an all green star polpys tank!

Brian

 

[Chucker]

I have only found one thing that kills GSPs, and they are almost as bad- green shrooms. It's a matter of picking the lesser of two evils IME. Damn GSPs grew right over the top of a fan worm, and killed it. Did the same with Palythoa sp. polyps too. :-(

 

[MrSandman]

out of curiosity, those of you who have reported plague-like growth of green star polyps, what kind of lighting do you have?

 

[alde]

MrSandman,

Mine are under 4 48" VHO's and in pretty strong current. They seem to grow in the same direction as the current.

Al

 

[bjmumy]

MrSandman,

Exactly the same as alde - 4x110W VHOs in strong current. I'm upgrading to 2x250W Iwasakis though in a month or two. Hopefully they won't like the MH as well after I get to my final photoperiod a couple months after installation. Time will tell.....

 

[Agu]

IME, green star polyps do better under lower light. Under 400 w mh only the polyps at the bottom corner of the tank opened. And they don't look that good. Another colony 1/2 way up the tank stopped opening completely after a couple of months, but recovered when moved to a tank with pc lighting. Agu

 

[grafxguy]

Mine are under 4x160wt VHOs(72"). They are placed at the top of the tank. One powerhead blowing over the top of them. Looks like wheat blowing in the wind. AWESOME looking coral. eric

 

[Gus Paz]

Mine are growing steady on a light supply of two 110w vho's

 

[goby]

I have a plauge of them as well. I have some montipora that they are growing up now, and the back glass of the tank has a patch about 10"x5" that is covered...all within the past 2 months as i rearanged the rock then, and it wasnt there. I am using 2X400 halides and 2X160 vhos. I seem to have a hard time with this stuff as it is overgrowing everything! oh well, I guess its nature in action! Im just glad I have more of the montipora that isnt being smothered....

g
o
b
y

 

[bjmumy]

Goby,

What kind of MH bulbs are you running and over how big of a tank? I was kinda hoping that GSP don't like MH and that mine would slow down...

 

[bajathree]

Mine have been doing the same thing. They are taking over another colony of polyps and going into my Red Mushrooms. They are in my 20 under NO lighting. I feed DT Phytoplankton every other day and Coral Heaven weekly. I have moved one rock with some growing on them into my 130 under MH lighting. They seem to like the dimmer light much better.

 

[goby]

bj,

the tank is a 125, and i have 2X400w 5500K halides, and 2X160 URI vho Actinics on it. The GSP's are in the center, on the left, and on the right of the tank. the halides are brightest just to the left and right of center. The ones that are growing the best are the highest in the tank, right in the center of things. I will try and get some pics soon to show you.

I prop them, to give to friends, as they are a particualrly green and long polyped variety.,... and when i prop them, i put them in my 20 gallon to grow out. they are under 2X55 pcs, and they significantly slow down when in the 20 gallon. The flow is also less in that tank, and they seem to loose some of the length on the polyps when in there.

g
o
b
y

 

[clwnphish]

if any one wants to sell some i will buy some, i have never tried to keep them but i really like them. I have seen some that grow like pillars they are really neat do any of you have that kind?? i saw it in julian sprungs new book.

 

[eyeguy]

I will help your plaque also. Would like some of your GSP, esp the long tentacle variety. Email me and we can set something up!

 

[newkie]

They are prolific but I'm selling them! They are terrific super-glue candidates. I tested this before and it works very well. You know all the little mats in the center reaching out for a surface that isn't there? Just pluck em, dry em with a paper towel, and glue em. Glue them to a small piece of LR rubble and ask the lfs to trade you more rubble for the next batch.