Question regarding Green Star Polyps and Kenya Trees

[awillemd1]

I purchased a piece of live rock with two stems of Kenya tree and a small mat of Green Star Polyps. The Green Star Polyps are starting to cover the entire live rock and I am worried that they may be able to kill the Kenya Tree. My questions are: 1) should I be trimming the Green Star Polyps such that they don't start covering the base of the Kenya Tree? Can I take the cuttings and start another mat of them somewhere else? :?

Thanks in advance for any advice here.

awillemd1

 

[Fluff]

The GSP's will need to be scraped off the rock with a chisel or something simular taking a bit of rock with them. They may encroach on the tree coral. And yes, you can scrape them off and move them to a different area.

 

[jasno999]

cool.

How long did it take for your GSP to start reporducing and spreading?

 

[awillemd1]

It has added about an inch in diameter in about 3 months.

awillemd1

 

[seaham358]

the kenya tree are easy to pull off the LR, why not move them to another piece of LR. IT will probably be easier to move then the GSP. I have a ton of kenya and I grab them at the base and try and get a nail under them and they pull right off. you could get some super glue gel and reattach them. just a idea..

 

[awillemd1]

Really. I didn't know that would work. I guess you are saying you can use superglue under water. Is this standard off the shelf Super Glue?

Thanks.

awillemd1

 

[Fluff]

The super glue gel works best.

 

[awillemd1]

Thanks.

If you just put a rock on them for a while to hold them, will they re-attach themselves?

awillemd1

 

[Fluff]

Don't know what you mean by putting a rock on them but I wouldn't do that. If you scrape the coral off the rock, or pull it as seaham suggests, then just use your superglue to glue it onto another piece of rock or rubble. If you put a rock against the coral to get it to move, it may or may not. I've never had luck getting tree corals to move that way.

 

[awillemd1]

Sorry, I wasn't clear on my point.

What I meant to say was after I have removed the Keyna trees, could I put them in a new location and set a rock on their base to hold them in place hoping that after a few days they would re-attach on their own?

I am a little nervous about using super glue.

awillemd1

 

[Fluff]

You could try that but chances are, the pressure from the rock will just cause it to separate in that area. If you have some rubble, you could try tying it to a piece with needle and some cotton thread or fishline, keep it somewhat loose so the line doesn't cut the coral in half. You can also spear it with a toothpick into the rock or use a rubberband to hold it in place. Lots of options with soft corals.

 

[Fluff]

Garf has some decent photos of coral propogation on thier site. Check out the sinularia, colt and capnella areas. They show how to glue, rubberband and toothpick your frags. Maybe that will help.

http://garf.org/

 

[awillemd1]

Thanks.

Can someone reply and let me know what a Kenya Tree does to reproduce? Does it just start another stem at the base of the ones that are already there?

Thanks in advance.

awillemd1