Green Star Polyps not opening

Onyx97 · 01/08/2009, 03:19 PM

My Green Star Polyps have not opened in 3 days. I have had them for about a wek and a half and they were doinf fine up until Monday when I noticed the entire colony was not open, then on Tuesday none of the colony opened. everything else in my tank is doing fine I have 1 Onyx Clownn 1 Crocea Clam and some assorted ZOO's and Polyths. My water parameters are as follows...

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
PH 8.1
Alkalinity 4meq/L
Salinity 35 ppt
Calcium 500

Any input would help...

46FiatYamaha · 01/08/2009, 03:24 PM

I would just give them a little time. When I bought some premium live rock from my LFS it had some star polyps on it, but they didn't open until maybe four or five days after I had the rock. After that, they grew like crazy, surely the hardiest coral I've ever had

wipe · 01/08/2009, 06:17 PM

Mine took a week I was worried but they came back perfectly.
Patience!

2006 · 01/08/2009, 09:26 PM

Make sure they are in high flow area.

bj32482 · 01/08/2009, 10:34 PM

check your temps too

reefworm · 01/08/2009, 11:01 PM

I agree - give them time. And you may one day rue the day they came back

Your water looks fine, and as long as temp doesn't vary much outside of 78~86 you're fine there as well. Just as an aside, you might consider keeping them near the top of your tank as one means of slowing their efforts to take over your tank. they tend to spread up to light. once they do get going, put rubble in the path of the spread then cut the newly colonized rock away with an exacto knife - yup, right through the purple mantle. Now you've got a frag to trade or use to barter for stuff at your LFS.

THolleyH46 · 01/09/2009, 12:56 AM

I just recently made a similar post, mine were fine for about two months and then went into a week or so of hibernation. Now they are doing well.

Stanley-Reefer · 01/09/2009, 05:53 AM

IME, they have been moody at first. I think they use the first days/weeks in a tank to attach themselves to their surroundings instead of coming out.

After that, they are fast!

Frick-n-Frags · 01/09/2009, 08:16 AM

It seems like lots of softies take a time out periodically. The classic toadstool shutdown is the first thing that comes to mind.
And the toadstools seem to reopen bigger and badder than before their little shutdown

I used to have ribbon gorgs and they would shut down about once a month to slough a layer.

Generally, regarding "shutdown softie concerns" watch the consistency of the mat/body/stolon/ w/e. if the thing is looking off color or getting raggedy/disintegrating around the edges(this is NOT when sheets of slime or w/e are peeling, i mean actually crumbling/rotting away) you have problems. and a really PO'd softie can stay shut for a month+ and still be ok at the end of the holdout.

If the (in your case purple encrusting)mat or body is firm/solid/smooth....let 'er ride......

OK, part 2: possible irritants
you may want to inspect the mat closely for gorg eating pests, or consider what other irritants could be lurking
LPS sweepers and cowries can put the hurt to GSP, CERTAIN bristle type worms will tunnel the mat. maybe some other kind of snails/nudi's also out there somewhere.

real longshot: water condition indication of changes.

Lets say, JUST for example's sake, along with the GSP, you brought home your whole setup {

}. The GSP might be the first(depending on what else you have for sure) canary in the coal mine, letting you know your cycle is now in session.

or.....

"Daddy Daddy, I made your fishy house ALLLLL nice and clean! I used windex, with ammonia-D!!!!"
(which, as you all know, D stands for "death" lol)
[additionally, your heart drops down through your house like the piano in a charlie chaplin film]

anyway point is, muse over possible external(to the animal) causes along the way when some sudden change happens too,
which can also be even external to the tank.

Frick-n-Frags · 01/09/2009, 08:24 AM

So, i think i've decided to name my lovely little pin toadstool leather: "Chrysler plant" .

that should totally confuse the non-reefers on several levels too

bj32482 · 01/09/2009, 12:58 PM

I agree on the softie shutdown. My two toadstools which I got as nickel sized frags had grown quite well for over a year and one day decided to close up for about 6 months. I tried moving them closer to the light adding and removing flow and in the end I increased my temp a few degrees and they popped right back out and are looking great.

James983 · 01/09/2009, 01:15 PM

GSP are like weeds, I keep ripping it out. It becomes a real PIA after a while. It always grows onto my SPS.

d3rryc · 01/09/2009, 01:20 PM

You might bump up your pH a little bit. I used to have a colony that would do that when my pH dropped down around 8.0. Getting it back up to 8.3 got them to open back up, and it was nice to have a built-in pH monitor in the tank. ; )

01/08/2009, 03:19 PM	#1
Onyx97 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 134	Green Star Polyps not opening My Green Star Polyps have not opened in 3 days. I have had them for about a wek and a half and they were doinf fine up until Monday when I noticed the entire colony was not open, then on Tuesday none of the colony opened. everything else in my tank is doing fine I have 1 Onyx Clownn 1 Crocea Clam and some assorted ZOO's and Polyths. My water parameters are as follows... Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 Phosphate 0 PH 8.1 Alkalinity 4meq/L Salinity 35 ppt Calcium 500 Any input would help...

01/08/2009, 11:01 PM	#6
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	I agree - give them time. And you may one day rue the day they came back Your water looks fine, and as long as temp doesn't vary much outside of 78~86 you're fine there as well. Just as an aside, you might consider keeping them near the top of your tank as one means of slowing their efforts to take over your tank. they tend to spread up to light. once they do get going, put rubble in the path of the spread then cut the newly colonized rock away with an exacto knife - yup, right through the purple mantle. Now you've got a frag to trade or use to barter for stuff at your LFS. __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

01/09/2009, 12:56 AM	#7
THolleyH46 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 210	I just recently made a similar post, mine were fine for about two months and then went into a week or so of hibernation. Now they are doing well. __________________ TOM "No, I didn't spill any water on the floor near any electrical cords!" Current Tank Info: 120 Tall reef tank

01/09/2009, 08:16 AM	#9
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	It seems like lots of softies take a time out periodically. The classic toadstool shutdown is the first thing that comes to mind. And the toadstools seem to reopen bigger and badder than before their little shutdown I used to have ribbon gorgs and they would shut down about once a month to slough a layer. Generally, regarding "shutdown softie concerns" watch the consistency of the mat/body/stolon/ w/e. if the thing is looking off color or getting raggedy/disintegrating around the edges(this is NOT when sheets of slime or w/e are peeling, i mean actually crumbling/rotting away) you have problems. and a really PO'd softie can stay shut for a month+ and still be ok at the end of the holdout. If the (in your case purple encrusting)mat or body is firm/solid/smooth....let 'er ride...... OK, part 2: possible irritants you may want to inspect the mat closely for gorg eating pests, or consider what other irritants could be lurking LPS sweepers and cowries can put the hurt to GSP, CERTAIN bristle type worms will tunnel the mat. maybe some other kind of snails/nudi's also out there somewhere. real longshot: water condition indication of changes. Lets say, JUST for example's sake, along with the GSP, you brought home your whole setup { }. The GSP might be the first(depending on what else you have for sure) canary in the coal mine, letting you know your cycle is now in session. or..... "Daddy Daddy, I made your fishy house ALLLLL nice and clean! I used windex, with ammonia-D!!!!" (which, as you all know, D stands for "death" lol) [additionally, your heart drops down through your house like the piano in a charlie chaplin film] anyway point is, muse over possible external(to the animal) causes along the way when some sudden change happens too, which can also be even external to the tank. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

01/09/2009, 08:24 AM	#10
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	So, i think i've decided to name my lovely little pin toadstool leather: "Chrysler plant" . that should totally confuse the non-reefers on several levels too __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

01/08/2009, 03:24 PM	#2
46FiatYamaha Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Matthews NC Posts: 990	I would just give them a little time. When I bought some premium live rock from my LFS it had some star polyps on it, but they didn't open until maybe four or five days after I had the rock. After that, they grew like crazy, surely the hardiest coral I've ever had

01/08/2009, 06:17 PM	#3
wipe Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nw side Chicago IL Posts: 340	Mine took a week I was worried but they came back perfectly. Patience!

01/08/2009, 09:26 PM	#4
2006 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 730	Make sure they are in high flow area.

01/08/2009, 10:34 PM	#5
bj32482 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: benton, ky Posts: 974	check your temps too

01/09/2009, 05:53 AM	#8
Stanley-Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stanley, NC Posts: 1,933	IME, they have been moody at first. I think they use the first days/weeks in a tank to attach themselves to their surroundings instead of coming out. After that, they are fast!

01/09/2009, 12:58 PM	#11
bj32482 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: benton, ky Posts: 974	I agree on the softie shutdown. My two toadstools which I got as nickel sized frags had grown quite well for over a year and one day decided to close up for about 6 months. I tried moving them closer to the light adding and removing flow and in the end I increased my temp a few degrees and they popped right back out and are looking great.

01/09/2009, 01:15 PM	#12
James983 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,223	GSP are like weeds, I keep ripping it out. It becomes a real PIA after a while. It always grows onto my SPS.

01/09/2009, 01:20 PM	#13
d3rryc Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cedar Park, TX Posts: 213	You might bump up your pH a little bit. I used to have a colony that would do that when my pH dropped down around 8.0. Getting it back up to 8.3 got them to open back up, and it was nice to have a built-in pH monitor in the tank. ; )