Green Star Polyps won't open

shempdevil · 03/22/2008, 05:38 AM

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 · 03/22/2008, 06:01 AM

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. · 03/22/2008, 09:34 AM

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 · 03/24/2008, 01:54 PM

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 · 03/24/2008, 02:03 PM

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 · 04/02/2008, 01:32 PM

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 · 04/28/2008, 10:19 PM

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 · 04/29/2008, 04:53 AM

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 · 04/29/2008, 10:52 PM

they will. Give them time.

JohnLeoKnight · 07/30/2014, 01:10 PM

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

enchelycore808 · 07/30/2014, 08:07 PM

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

Triggerfish · 07/31/2014, 08:48 AM

have they opened yet..ha

Webmanny · 07/31/2014, 12:42 PM

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 · 01/20/2017, 02:36 PM

How about now?

mickey204 · 01/25/2017, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlhanks

How about now?

lol

03/22/2008, 05:38 AM	#1
shempdevil Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 39	Green Star Polyps won't open 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

03/22/2008, 06:01 AM	#2
fatrip Yup That Stuff Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: , ny Posts: 4,317	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. __________________ Vince "We learn from history that we never learn anything from history." Hegel

03/24/2008, 01:54 PM	#4
Husky_1 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 1,541	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. __________________ Out of the hobby, but thinking of rejoining Current Tank Info: 92 Reef, 10 Reef

03/24/2008, 02:03 PM	#5
fatrip Yup That Stuff Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: , ny Posts: 4,317	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. __________________ Vince "We learn from history that we never learn anything from history." Hegel

04/02/2008, 01:32 PM	#6
tanyashankles Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 165	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 __________________ ReefCentral.. The gathering place for broke people... Current Tank Info: 55g reef 2x250 DE 15k 30g sump TOSSED THE seaclone 150 2 maxijets 100lb LR Kent TE skimmer

03/22/2008, 09:34 AM	#3
Lance M. Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 910	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.

04/28/2008, 10:19 PM	#7
ransomed4ever Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sterling, Illinois Posts: 332	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.

04/29/2008, 04:53 AM	#8
Python73 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Fombell, PA Posts: 1,832	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 ! __________________ Sam Pistachio PMASI Life Member "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

04/29/2008, 10:52 PM	#9
Reef-LeGeNd Moved On Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Memphis Posts: 52	they will. Give them time.

07/30/2014, 01:10 PM	#10
JohnLeoKnight Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Michigan Posts: 64	Think maybe your puffer is bothering them? I had a Valentini and he LOVED eating my green star polyps.

07/30/2014, 08:07 PM	#11
enchelycore808 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 405	It's been 6 years. I think he figured it out by now lol!

07/31/2014, 08:48 AM	#12
Triggerfish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 3,391	have they opened yet..ha __________________ 150g Bow: YWG,Flurry clowns, LMB, yellow tail, chalk bass, Bangaii ,powder brown. Current Tank Info: 110g mixed reef

07/31/2014, 12:42 PM	#13
Webmanny Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: 33612 Posts: 2,461	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 __________________ 32 gallon Biocube, DIY LEDs and Triton Method. My N=1 study of me, validated by me, and supported by completely anecdotal evidence, states that my advice is 100% correct, most of the time.

01/20/2017, 02:36 PM	#14
rlhanks Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Farmington Hills, MI Posts: 22	How about now? __________________ Bought my first tank with my paper route money back in 1984. 150 gallon SC starphire Metal frame stand made from welded Unistrut and wrapped in Walnut Most equipment are DIY Current Tank Info: 5'x2'x2', BLDC7, maxspect gyre250, T5HO and LED's, Home made welded steel tubular stand wrapped in wood work.