Star Polyps Not Opening

[Tripoli]

I bought a small frag of green star polyps about 5 days ago and have yet to see them open up. The frag is about 1.5" square sitting under 32 watts of PC 50/50 light and 18 watts of actinic fluorescent lighting in my 10-gallon micro reef. The tank is happily supporting one small fish and a bunch of mushrooms which are spreading like wildfire.

The only thing that I can see that might be wrong with the polyps is that they look like they're covered in a thin film of hair algae. Could this be the problem, and if so, what can I do about it?

I've got 7 blue-leg reef hermits and a few snails in there that I'm hoping will clean off the algae, but no luck so far. I'm afraid I'm going to lose the polyps soon.

 

[Brisc0]

Okay, a couple things.
1.) get them as close to the lights as possible, they need a lot of light.
2.) make sure they have very strong flow. For example, when mine are open they blow VERY hard, it seems as though they would be damaged by such strong flow, but they love it.
3.) After adjusting them blow off any sedimentation and algae with a turkey baster.

Best of luck. If conditions are right they should open up within 24 hours.

Oh, on a side note, are you running any PO4 remover by chance?

 

[douggiestyle]

just wait they will open.

1.) get them as close to the lights as possible, they need a lot of light.

i beg to differ. mine are at the bottom of a 24" deep tank with only 260w and are spreading like crazy.
definately lots of flow. they will open without the flow, but with flow they will spead and grow.
leave them alone the more you touch them the longer you will wait.
about a week ago i moved the rock mine are on around and decided to pick off the algae from them and they didnt open fully for three days.

they are weeds

 

[Tripoli]

Oh, on a side note, are you running any PO4 remover by chance?

Nope.

 

[daveNandi]

I had some that stayed closed for about a week, never did figure out why.

 

[douggiestyle]

Brisc0 wrote:
Oh, on a side note, are you running any PO4 remover by chance?


Nope.

if you are not testing for PO4 you should. low levels help control algae. and stony polyps (star polyps are not stony) have trouble assimilating calcium when in the presence of higher levels of PO4. ( if i have erred in this statement someone please correct me.)

 

[Mermaid]

The only thing that I can see that might be wrong with the polyps is that they look like they're covered in a thin film of hair algae

my star polyps came with a film of what looks like red hair algae. when covered my polyps won't open either. So I have tried a couple of different things that have worked, but the algae keeps coming back so its a maintenance thing I have to keep up with. But anyway I have tried just using some tube and just syphoning off the algae, but that is kinda rough on the polyps so i have switched to using a new toothbrush and just brushing off the algae. The polyps don't seem to mind the brushing too much, and they open up nicely within the next day or so. so just a thought for you to consider.
good luck,
Mermaid!

 

[Tripoli]

This is such a small frag that I'd be concerned about ripping it to pieces with a toothbrush. (The head of a toothbrush would cover probably 25% of it.) Every time I try handling it, pieces of it's purple skin flake off.

 

[douggiestyle]

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."- Willy Wonka

actually its arthur shaugenssy

"we are the music makers. we are the dreamers of dreams. wandering by the lone sea breakers. sitting by desolate streams. world losers and world forsakers on whom the pale moon beams. and yet we are the movers and shakers of the world forever it seems."- arthur shaugenssy

 

[mcdavies]

I agree with the turkey baster and flow concerns...it has worked for me...

I have found that star polyps can be tempermental at times. Mine will go a couple of days without opening, then be fine. May be an indication of water quality but not sure. Suggest that, apart from the flow concern, you stay the course and wait it out...

Mark

 

[loganj]

I would get the film off of them. Even if you use the toothbrush (get a soft one), I don't think any permanent damage will result...I've used this method before with good results. Have you ever or do you dose iodine? Star poylps are sensitive to this...especially Lugols.
For P04 levels, the target is 0.

 

[lando]

i have several colonies of both yellow and brown/orange and it took 7 -10 days for them to open. then it is just a matter of finding a spot they like. go ahead and try various spots in your tank until they look happy.

 

[Tripoli]

Have you ever or do you dose iodine? Star poylps are sensitive to this...especially Lugols.

Yes, I do dose iodine in small quantities. My mushrooms and their many children love me for it. When you say they're sensitive to it, do you mean the star polyps prefer more or less iodine?

 

[Tripoli]

OK, finally decided to try to toothbrush idea. The little frag held together better than I thought it would from the scrubbing. I couldn't get ALL the algae off, but at least it no longer looks like the algae is covering up the tops of the tubes the polyps hide in.

Also, would it be a good idea to spot feed polyps like this? Could spot feeding them also help encourage them to open?

 

[douggiestyle]

id try leaving them alone in a high flow area. check my posts i had the same problems.

 

[Anemoneman]

Yes, I do dose iodine in small quantities.

I would STOP adding iodine and see if they open.

My mushrooms and their many children love me for it.

Doubtful. My bet is they will thrive just as well w/o it.

 

[Gauge]

I can vouch for Tripoli on this one. He started dosing iodine and his mushrooms went nuts. They grew and multiplied like wildfire across his tank.

 

[Anemoneman]

I can vouch for Tripoli on this one. He started dosing iodine and his mushrooms went nuts.

noted.

 

[douggiestyle]

hey tripoli how are polyps doing?

 

[Tripoli]

Well, it's been what...a week or so now? :? Nothing. At least they don't look like they're dying, though.



But wait...! 8O *Trip glances over at polyps*

What's this!?!!

I see something!!!

There's a little tiny white spot poking out with it's 8 little tenticles!! (see attached pic...bottom right)

It's.....it's.....ALIVE!!!!

Keep your fingers crossed, folks! They may make it after all!



...oops accidentally attached twice