How to STOP buttons from taking over!! (pics)

thebkramer · 04/17/2010, 05:53 PM

These button polyps are starting to be my very least favorite coral ever!
They are taking over and taking up waaaay too much space.
Any ideas on how to stop them from growing further?
Should I just pluck them off 1 by 1?

[IMG]http://i40.*******.com/2iu91f.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.*******.com/20gz91d.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.*******.com/2vt9s81.jpg[/IMG]

Also...is this a chiton?
[IMG]http://i41.*******.com/6sds8y.jpg[/IMG]
Is this not a good enough photo?

Thanks for your help!!

IridescentLily · 04/17/2010, 06:07 PM

In the polyp forum section here, there are a few things for getting rid of them.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=184

Meisen · 04/17/2010, 06:09 PM

remove all the rocks they are on, throw away is the easiest. They are a major PITA when overgrown like that, you wont do much but frustrate (and possibly poison) yourself trying to scrape them off individually. Be careful with what you do with them once out of the tank too, a friend of mine killed his dog that way.

If you are too attached to your rock you can control their further spread with a super strong stinging coral like frogspawn, torch etc.

In the pic its too hard to tell what we are looking at, maybe a stomatella, maybe something else. Chitons are pretty easy to ID though, they have distinct segmented body plates often with a fringe of softer material.

thebkramer · 04/17/2010, 06:36 PM

Thanks for the feedback and the link.
I wish there was a button eating snail or suttin out there!!!

Dadekster · 04/17/2010, 08:16 PM

Take it to the LFS, you might get some credit for it. Heck you can frag it pretty easy by taking it outside and just dropping the rock on the ground and carefully picking up the pieces. I'd wear gloves and eye protection though. Might as well get something out of it.

thebkramer · 04/17/2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dadekster

Take it to the LFS, you might get some credit for it. Heck you can frag it pretty easy by taking it outside and just dropping the rock on the ground and carefully picking up the pieces. I'd wear gloves and eye protection though. Might as well get something out of it.

Thanks for the feedback. But its not a rock though...Its a castle.

90greefman · 04/17/2010, 08:19 PM

Toss the rocks. Or you could spend endless hours pulling them off only to watch them grow back later. Unfortunately most of us have been there.

90greefman · 04/17/2010, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebkramer

Thanks for the feedback. But its not a rock though...Its a castle.

Didn't even notice the castle. Sweet castle, toss the castle.

thebkramer · 04/17/2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90greefman

Sweet castle, toss the castle.

Crustman · 04/17/2010, 08:44 PM

I have the same thing. I think they are invasive palys. Came on the base of a Sinularia to my system. They kill sps and grow over Lps. I tried kalk paste but it does not kill them.

thebkramer · 04/18/2010, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IridescentLily

In the polyp forum section here, there are a few things for getting rid of them.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=184

Thanks for the link, but, I can't seem to find any info on getting rid of them.
Should start a new post? Or maybe just post a question as to where to find it?? Thanks IridescentLily.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meisen

If you are too attached to your rock you can control their further spread with a super strong stinging coral like frogspawn, torch etc.

I've actually always wanted a frogspawn. My question is (totally unfamiliar) Would I have to worry about chemical warfare and my parameters??
Thanks!

stubby 58 · 04/18/2010, 01:17 PM

weed eater !

stubby

sohal1025 · 04/18/2010, 02:50 PM

At first glance, I thought the top of the castle was a snail.

thebkramer · 04/18/2010, 07:16 PM

Is it also true that a frogspawn will host clownfish? Cause that would be real nice. I don't think I want to get another LTA (or other nem) cause they get soooo big. My last LTA was almost as tall as my tank and took up almost the whole left side!

Also wondering if maybe I could put a rock on top of buttons? Would they maybe attempt to attach to rock to get to light? (and detach from my castle?) There is one portion of the buttons that I can take out (the upper left side). I don't mind the upper right side cause my green clown goby currently resides there. But I would loooove to get rid of all the rest!!

DiSkuStiNg · 04/18/2010, 07:28 PM

you could just cut some off of your rock and send them too me. I think they look awesome.

thebkramer · 04/18/2010, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiSkuStiNg

you could just cut some off of your rock and send them too me. I think they look awesome.

Honestly...I'd be more than happy too!!! I'd have to warn you though, you'd also get a bunch of bristle and fireworms with it. For some reason they LOVE to chill in the buttons...all day...all night!

Fritzers · 04/19/2010, 03:17 PM

Why would you want to kill anything thats living? If you get annoyed with your dog getting too big, do you throw him away?

thebkramer · 04/19/2010, 04:28 PM

here are some better pics of the possible chiton...

[IMG]http://i39.*******.com/eryfpz.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i39.*******.com/351sv9u.jpg[/IMG]

04/17/2010, 05:53 PM	#1
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	How to STOP buttons from taking over!! (pics) These button polyps are starting to be my very least favorite coral ever! They are taking over and taking up waaaay too much space. Any ideas on how to stop them from growing further? Should I just pluck them off 1 by 1? [IMG]http://i40.*****.com/2iu91f.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i42.***.com/20gz91d.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i42.***.com/2vt9s81.jpg[/IMG] Also...is this a chiton? [IMG]http://i41.*****.com/6sds8y.jpg[/IMG] Is this not a good enough photo? Thanks for your help!! __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

04/17/2010, 06:07 PM	#2
IridescentLily Editor-Reefkeeping mag Join Date: May 2008 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Posts: 3,858 Blog Entries: 5	In the polyp forum section here, there are a few things for getting rid of them. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=184 __________________ ~April Editor-Reefkeeping Magazine

04/17/2010, 06:09 PM	#3
Meisen Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,108	remove all the rocks they are on, throw away is the easiest. They are a major PITA when overgrown like that, you wont do much but frustrate (and possibly poison) yourself trying to scrape them off individually. Be careful with what you do with them once out of the tank too, a friend of mine killed his dog that way. If you are too attached to your rock you can control their further spread with a super strong stinging coral like frogspawn, torch etc. In the pic its too hard to tell what we are looking at, maybe a stomatella, maybe something else. Chitons are pretty easy to ID though, they have distinct segmented body plates often with a fringe of softer material. __________________ "You dont know where they've been.....There are all kinds of animals pooping in them" -my lovely wife, only she didn't say poop. Current Tank Info: Tankless. Like your water heater.

04/17/2010, 06:36 PM	#4
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	Thanks for the feedback and the link. I wish there was a button eating snail or suttin out there!!! __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

04/17/2010, 08:44 PM	#10
Crustman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 941	I have the same thing. I think they are invasive palys. Came on the base of a Sinularia to my system. They kill sps and grow over Lps. I tried kalk paste but it does not kill them. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: 65 gallon reef with 8 T-5's, ATI Blue Plus, Blue Special, KZ Fiji Purple, Vertex IN 100, phosphate and carbon reactor Coralife Turbo Sea Pump

04/17/2010, 08:16 PM	#5
Dadekster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 356	Take it to the LFS, you might get some credit for it. Heck you can frag it pretty easy by taking it outside and just dropping the rock on the ground and carefully picking up the pieces. I'd wear gloves and eye protection though. Might as well get something out of it.

04/17/2010, 08:19 PM	#7
90greefman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Firestone, CO Posts: 318	Toss the rocks. Or you could spend endless hours pulling them off only to watch them grow back later. Unfortunately most of us have been there.

04/18/2010, 01:17 PM	#12
stubby 58 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ama TX Posts: 217	weed eater ! stubby

04/18/2010, 02:50 PM	#13
sohal1025 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Elyria Ohio Posts: 1,737	At first glance, I thought the top of the castle was a snail. __________________ THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!! ><((((º>`•.¸¸.•><((((º>´¯`•><((((º> Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank, Reef Radiance led lighting,20gal long sump,SuperReefOctopus,phosban reactor

04/18/2010, 07:16 PM	#14
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	Is it also true that a frogspawn will host clownfish? Cause that would be real nice. I don't think I want to get another LTA (or other nem) cause they get soooo big. My last LTA was almost as tall as my tank and took up almost the whole left side! Also wondering if maybe I could put a rock on top of buttons? Would they maybe attempt to attach to rock to get to light? (and detach from my castle?) There is one portion of the buttons that I can take out (the upper left side). I don't mind the upper right side cause my green clown goby currently resides there. But I would loooove to get rid of all the rest!! __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

04/18/2010, 07:28 PM	#15
DiSkuStiNg Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 102	you could just cut some off of your rock and send them too me. I think they look awesome. __________________ -Nate

04/19/2010, 03:17 PM	#17
Fritzers Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 5	Why would you want to kill anything thats living? If you get annoyed with your dog getting too big, do you throw him away?

04/19/2010, 04:28 PM	#18
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	here are some better pics of the possible chiton... [IMG]http://i39.*****.com/eryfpz.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i39.*****.com/351sv9u.jpg[/IMG] __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS