unhappy GSP

nladd · 03/26/2015, 05:21 PM

About 2 weeks ago I purchased my first coral frags, a GSP and a green and red Zoa. Both frags looked really good at the lfs which is why i picked them, i got them home and drip acclimated them for 45 minutes and obviously they were both closed up tighter than Fort Knox, But after about 20 minutes of being in my tank both were fully opened and looked good but that didn't last long for the GSP. Now only 1-2 polyps are open at a time and they don't stay out long, its currently at the stop of my rock work where it gets a good amount of light (coralife biocube stock lighting). I moved it to a mid level rock and it didn't come out period for the few days I had it there. I Tested my water before putting it in and everything was in check, I will test the parameters again tonight to check again. I was worried it wasn't getting enough flow so I added an mj1200 pump today. Does anyone have any idea why its not coming out?

Before

After

TangingOut · 03/26/2015, 05:30 PM

Those are clove polyps, not gsp

danil · 03/26/2015, 05:38 PM

Looks more like GSP for me. It seems like your tank is still new. I would do nothing special at this moment. Do you regular WC (may be extra one) and check it out every day.
It's really (really) hard to kill GSP. I would wait.

CafeReef · 03/26/2015, 06:00 PM

What are your calcium levels at?

TangingOut · 03/26/2015, 06:38 PM

The stalks are throwing me off. Usually when gsp is closed, it's just a flat mat. Also the tentacles look to have fuzz/feathering, but could just be the picture.

cnreef · 03/26/2015, 06:53 PM

Def gsp, mine took a few days to get used to the flow in my tank..

aquascapelove · 03/26/2015, 07:02 PM

Def GSP and I wouldn't worry too much yet.... When I got mine my lfs owner told me it might be a few days before it comes out and def would be a little bit before fully open. Yours doesn't appear to be in bad health. From what I know though usually it likes lower light and med flow so maybe it was unhappy so high up off the gate.... Just wait it out and see mine closes up every night so dont be surprised if you see a couple polyps during the day then closed again a few days before it really opens up.

pyithar · 03/26/2015, 07:16 PM

maybe it wasn't getting enough flow. gsp like high light, high flow ime. now it'll adjust to your new flow and it should come out after a week. if not, something might be wrong with the water.

top shelf · 03/26/2015, 07:41 PM

To be completely honest and maybe I'm wrong but gsp seem to thrive in just about any condition weather it be high light and high flow or low light and low flow, personally I have had my girlfriends in both from the sand bed under crappy t5 ho bulbs to a now high end led in the middle, its seems to come down to it acclimating to your system. As long as a few polyps still come out I wouldn't worry much before you know it the thing will be taking over that piece of live rock its on.

delor · 03/26/2015, 08:44 PM

I can't kill it when I try.... Give it time.

Reef Frog · 03/26/2015, 08:47 PM

I've had GSP for 5 years. That does not look like GSP even on my smartphone. Is the underlying tissue purple? If it is, then it's GSP. Google some pics and you'll know for sure.

It looks mounted in a hi position. I don't know what kind of light you have, but moving it down in the tank might help.

nladd · 03/26/2015, 09:03 PM

Just noticed in the 2nd picture a couple polyps made their daily appearance. An the base is Definantly purple, phones not the best at getting pictures, it is also on one of the highest points in the tank due to me still having the crappy Biocube stock lighting still. My main worry is I've read other posts about them taking awhile to open up but not 2 weeks like mine. Just finished up testing the water too.
Ammonia-0
Ph-8.2
Kh-8
Nitrates-2
Nitrites-0
Cal-450
Mag-1400

top shelf · 03/26/2015, 09:41 PM

Parameters seem to be in order, as long as its not melting or dying away and receding I wouldn't worry. Maybe try moving it lower liked mention and letting it be for a bit. The fact a few polyps still come out is a good sign.

Just a thought and its hard to tell from the pictures but if there's any built up crude on it or algae it might not open. Had that happen once and after cleaning off algae it opened right back up.

pyithar · 03/26/2015, 09:44 PM

as long as it's not dead, it'll open up eventually once the conditions are right. they're very hardy corals. let it adjust to the new flow for a week and see if it opens. if not, you'll need to upgrade the light imo.

acrohead500ppm · 03/26/2015, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyithar

maybe it wasn't getting enough flow. gsp like high light, high flow ime. now it'll adjust to your new flow and it should come out after a week. if not, something might be wrong with the water.

+ 1 to all the above.

esp with the "give it a little bit of a flow love" advice.

Reef Frog · 03/27/2015, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nladd

Just noticed in the 2nd picture a couple polyps made their daily appearance. An the base is Definantly purple, phones not the best at getting pictures, it is also on one of the highest points in the tank due to me still having the crappy Biocube stock lighting still. My main worry is I've read other posts about them taking awhile to open up but not 2 weeks like mine. Just finished up testing the water too.
Ammonia-0
Ph-8.2
Kh-8
Nitrates-2
Nitrites-0
Cal-450
Mag-1400

Glad it's opening up. You should be fine - GSP can be one of the first corals in a tank to retract to small changes & disturbances but it is a very hardy coral. Your parameters are good. It will grow almost anywhere under a wide variety of lights & flow.

Jason S · 03/27/2015, 10:55 AM

They are GSP for sure, and they do like higher flow. In the second picture, they look like they may be covered in a bit of slime algae. It could be an optical illusion, but I see it in the first picture on the rocks too. If they are covered in algae, try to turkey baste it off, and then make sure they are getting enough flow.

What is your phosphate level?

Edit: I looked at the picture again, and I can almost definitely see algae on them, and if you notice, the stalks that look more purple and clear on the ones with polyps extended. I am thinking this is the issue.

03/26/2015, 05:21 PM	#1
nladd Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 27	unhappy GSP About 2 weeks ago I purchased my first coral frags, a GSP and a green and red Zoa. Both frags looked really good at the lfs which is why i picked them, i got them home and drip acclimated them for 45 minutes and obviously they were both closed up tighter than Fort Knox, But after about 20 minutes of being in my tank both were fully opened and looked good but that didn't last long for the GSP. Now only 1-2 polyps are open at a time and they don't stay out long, its currently at the stop of my rock work where it gets a good amount of light (coralife biocube stock lighting). I moved it to a mid level rock and it didn't come out period for the few days I had it there. I Tested my water before putting it in and everything was in check, I will test the parameters again tonight to check again. I was worried it wasn't getting enough flow so I added an mj1200 pump today. Does anyone have any idea why its not coming out? Before After

03/26/2015, 06:00 PM	#4
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	What are your calcium levels at? __________________ 50 Gallon cube

03/26/2015, 06:53 PM	#6
cnreef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Florida Posts: 398	Def gsp, mine took a few days to get used to the flow in my tank.. __________________ Current tank: 29g mixed reef with 20g sump Current Tank Info: 1 B&W ocellaris, 1 azure damselfish, 1 starry blenny, rock boring urchin, pincushion urchin, 4 scarlet reef hermits, several snails

03/26/2015, 07:16 PM	#8
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	maybe it wasn't getting enough flow. gsp like high light, high flow ime. now it'll adjust to your new flow and it should come out after a week. if not, something might be wrong with the water. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

03/26/2015, 07:41 PM	#9
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	To be completely honest and maybe I'm wrong but gsp seem to thrive in just about any condition weather it be high light and high flow or low light and low flow, personally I have had my girlfriends in both from the sand bed under crappy t5 ho bulbs to a now high end led in the middle, its seems to come down to it acclimating to your system. As long as a few polyps still come out I wouldn't worry much before you know it the thing will be taking over that piece of live rock its on. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

03/26/2015, 05:30 PM	#2
TangingOut Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,511	Those are clove polyps, not gsp

03/26/2015, 05:38 PM	#3
danil Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Concord, CA Posts: 935	Looks more like GSP for me. It seems like your tank is still new. I would do nothing special at this moment. Do you regular WC (may be extra one) and check it out every day. It's really (really) hard to kill GSP. I would wait.

03/26/2015, 06:38 PM	#5
TangingOut Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,511	The stalks are throwing me off. Usually when gsp is closed, it's just a flat mat. Also the tentacles look to have fuzz/feathering, but could just be the picture.

03/26/2015, 07:02 PM	#7
aquascapelove Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: PA/NY Posts: 47	Def GSP and I wouldn't worry too much yet.... When I got mine my lfs owner told me it might be a few days before it comes out and def would be a little bit before fully open. Yours doesn't appear to be in bad health. From what I know though usually it likes lower light and med flow so maybe it was unhappy so high up off the gate.... Just wait it out and see mine closes up every night so dont be surprised if you see a couple polyps during the day then closed again a few days before it really opens up.

03/26/2015, 08:44 PM	#10
delor Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 1,124	I can't kill it when I try.... Give it time. __________________ Surviving is different than thriving! Current Tank Info: Current: 90 gal RR reef tank, LED. Old:55gal RR, 440W VHO, 80# LR, LS, 20gal sump, SCWD. 5 gallon nano, 75 gal FOWLR

03/26/2015, 08:47 PM	#11
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	I've had GSP for 5 years. That does not look like GSP even on my smartphone. Is the underlying tissue purple? If it is, then it's GSP. Google some pics and you'll know for sure. It looks mounted in a hi position. I don't know what kind of light you have, but moving it down in the tank might help.

03/26/2015, 09:03 PM	#12
nladd Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 27	Just noticed in the 2nd picture a couple polyps made their daily appearance. An the base is Definantly purple, phones not the best at getting pictures, it is also on one of the highest points in the tank due to me still having the crappy Biocube stock lighting still. My main worry is I've read other posts about them taking awhile to open up but not 2 weeks like mine. Just finished up testing the water too. Ammonia-0 Ph-8.2 Kh-8 Nitrates-2 Nitrites-0 Cal-450 Mag-1400

03/26/2015, 09:41 PM	#13
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	Parameters seem to be in order, as long as its not melting or dying away and receding I wouldn't worry. Maybe try moving it lower liked mention and letting it be for a bit. The fact a few polyps still come out is a good sign. Just a thought and its hard to tell from the pictures but if there's any built up crude on it or algae it might not open. Had that happen once and after cleaning off algae it opened right back up. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

03/26/2015, 09:44 PM	#14
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	as long as it's not dead, it'll open up eventually once the conditions are right. they're very hardy corals. let it adjust to the new flow for a week and see if it opens. if not, you'll need to upgrade the light imo. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

03/27/2015, 10:55 AM	#17
Jason S Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Murfreesboro, TN Posts: 555	They are GSP for sure, and they do like higher flow. In the second picture, they look like they may be covered in a bit of slime algae. It could be an optical illusion, but I see it in the first picture on the rocks too. If they are covered in algae, try to turkey baste it off, and then make sure they are getting enough flow. What is your phosphate level? Edit: I looked at the picture again, and I can almost definitely see algae on them, and if you notice, the stalks that look more purple and clear on the ones with polyps extended. I am thinking this is the issue. __________________ "The above post is my opinion only, and is in no way meant to belittle, flame, or otherwise insult anyone unless previously stated" Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon SPS Dominant T5 mixed reef and a 29 Gallon Biocube with Soft Corals, LPS, and various other polyps.