Green Star Polyps

[Dickie]

I've just bought a colony of green star polyps. I've notices that there is a small fragment of rock attatched to the main piece by the mat of the polyps. Is it OK to cut the mat to detach the small fragment and start a new colony?

[Chuck S]

Yes that is a good way to frag them.

[SueT]

Absolutely and if you replace the rock that can be the start of another new colony of your green star polyps.

[broadwave]

Yes. Just wedge the piece of star polyp between some rock on your reef.

Before long...you'll have a nice plush lawn in between your corals and nowhere for algae to grow as long as you have good water movement!!!

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

WHat are the requirements for green star polyps?? I have had a small amount of them, but they have never really spread or done well in my tank. And tips for keeping these?

[Chuck S]

Green star polyps are one of those weird corals. You either have great success or total failure with them. I have had great success at one point with them to watch them totally disintegrate later. I had them for along time in my 55 but when they went I never gave them a try again since I got more into SPS. /ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif

[Bigfish]

I would be very selective on placement of the GSP's. If you have success with them, they grow like a weed. It may sound nice to have a lush lawn growing around your corals, but IME they pack a decent sting and will affect most SPS corals. The other downside is that once they have spread over the rocks, they grow down into the nooks and crannies. It makes removal a challenge.

I have had success with mine by giving them lots of light and strong current. When I get done with my upgrade, the GSP's will be on a rock island in the sand where they can't grow onto the reef. /ubbthreads/images/icons/neon1.gif

HTH,
Scott

[Bajathree]

They will take over SPS no doubt. It is kind of like what Omeg said, they grow great in my 25 under PC lighting but in my 130 under heavy 400w MH they barely show any sighns of growth. They definately like lower light and do great under NO, VHO and PC.

[brody98]

If you have high watts per gallon and a center brace in the tank try putting them under the brace, mine didn't grow much till I moved them under the center brace then they grew like weeds it must have cut the light transmition just enough for them .

[Reefman150]

Mine seem to like a good flow and they are in lots of light. 2-175 watt MH and 4-110 watt VHO super actenics. When they start advancing towards somewhere I don't want it to, I use a razor blade to cut it back.