Star polyps not opening

[CaledonFish]

Last week my star polyps closed up on me after feeding them. This has been the norm every time I feed them but this time they have not opened back up. It has been 1 week to the day since closing. I have tested the water and everything is in check. I did a water change yesterday just to make sure and I have also moved them closer to the light ( a few days ago) and still nothing. Does anyone know how long star polyps can survive closed up and has anyone else had this happen to them?

Thanks in advance

 

[Bray84]

I'm no coral pro as only got few freebie with rock I've bought but got a big rock with a lot of green star polyps onit and read up that don't need to feed them as get there energy from the light. Read that feeding some coral to much can stress them as they use a lot more energy digestion the food than they get from eating in first place so maybe that's what's going on.

 

[bribo12]

Last week my star polyps closed up on me after feeding them. This has been the norm every time I feed them but this time they have not opened back up. It has been 1 week to the day since closing. I have tested the water and everything is in check. I did a water change yesterday just to make sure and I have also moved them closer to the light ( a few days ago) and still nothing. Does anyone know how long star polyps can survive closed up and has anyone else had this happen to them?

Thanks in advance

What did you feed them, star polyps really don't eat anything from my experience. Don't move them that stresses them out more. Just let them be they can stay closed for weeks and then pop back out. One of the hardiest corals in the hobby. What are your nitrates at? Star polyps can be a good indicator they are high. Also what type of lighting and flow do you have in the tank?

 

[Bray84]

I've notice that mines got white base but others I've seen got red base so is there something up with it

 

[bribo12]

I've notice that mines got white base but others I've seen got red base so is there something up with it

Hmm as long as the polyps are out it should be fine. Mine has a purple base.

 

[dragonfisher33]

i have had similar experience in the past. my star polyps wouldn't open for weeks when i got it from an online vendor. so my advice is leave it alone and keep up with your tank maintenance. if your other corals are doing OK, then my guess is that your star polyps are just a little shy, very much like mine when i got my frag. it took mine about 3weeks to open so i wouldn't worry about it. also although these corals get a lot of energy from the light, they benefit from food such as plankton. keep in mind that although corals can stay alive just from light, they need the extra "boost", if you will, to encrust and propagate at a faster rate. this is the reason why hobbyists use food like Coral Frenzy to feed their corals to ensure faster growth

 

[bribo12]

i have had similar experience in the past. my star polyps wouldn't open for weeks when i got it from an online vendor. so my advice is leave it alone and keep up with your tank maintenance. if your other corals are doing OK, then my guess is that your star polyps are just a little shy, very much like mine when i got my frag. it took mine about 3weeks to open so i wouldn't worry about it. also although these corals get a lot of energy from the light, they benefit from food such as plankton. keep in mind that although corals can stay alive just from light, they need the extra "boost", if you will, to encrust and propagate at a faster rate. this is the reason why hobbyists use food like Coral Frenzy to feed their corals to ensure faster growth

All photosynthetic corals need are light. They do not need to be fed anything, given the proper lighting, essential elements and flow they will thrive. Star polyps will encrust and grow with just light, I don't feed mine anything and it spreads like a weed. Adding coral food can foul up your system especially If you add to much.

 

[dragonfisher33]

All photosynthetic corals need are light. They do not need to be fed anything, given the proper lighting, essential elements and flow they will thrive. Star polyps will encrust and grow with just light, I don't feed mine anything and it spreads like a weed. Adding coral food can foul up your system especially If you add to much.

you're right that all photosynthetic corals need light, but i was saying that supplemental feeding that includes micro plankton helps with the growth of the corals, whether it be softies, lps, or sps. everything in moderation is the key. you can argue that adding too much fish food is going to foul up the water. a weekly feeding of the corals will benefit the corals as shown in this article and the experiments that people have conducted.
http://www.coralscience.org/main/articles/nutrition-6/how-corals-feed

 

[Bray84]

Hmm as long as the polyps are out it should be fine. Mine has a purple base.

yeah been out from day one only in at night and looking good.

 

[CaledonFish]

Thanks for the advice guys. Great news today as they opened up and are looking good. When I say feeding them I give them a little phytoplankton once a week. Nothing much, just a little squirt. Lets hope they stay open here on out. I love the way they look in my tank flowing back and forth.