Dying Green Stars: Need Help

[pletlibo]

Hey guys. So I'm a brand new reefer with my first 75g display 30g sump system that was setup a few months ago, and I recently quarantined three coral frags and moved them to my display. I got all three from worldwidecorals and dipped them and everything, and they were doing great in the QT for about two weeks, and then suddenly my green star polyps frag closed up. I think this had to do with a minor ammonia spike that I quickly got under control. But the green stars remained closed, to the point where excess amounts of algae were growing on the frag itself. I eventually moved the three frags to the display, and the other two are doing fine but the green stars are still struggling. I put it in the substrate on it's plug when I moved it over, because I was hoping to 1). not permanently attach it anywhere if it was dead (which I didn't know at the time), and 2). encourage my red and blue leg hermits to clean off the algae. They didn't. Since, it's been extending one single polyp that's been getting worse and worse as time goes on. It's been losing its arms, and it's down to one left. I know the coral is alive because it retracts its one polyp at night. Anyway, I need a way to get the algae off the surface of this frag, and quickly, because I'm very afraid it's going to die due to lack of light. It's been closed up for a while. I looked at other forums, and attempted to use an old toothbrush and paper towel to clean the algae off to no avail. I just end up damaging the tissue on the coral and exposing skeleton. If there is anything I can do to clean off this algae, please let me know. I don't have much livestock besides two clowns and a royal gramma. Thanks for the help. I've attached a very bad image, but you can see the algae and single polyp on the coral.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Green star polyps are pretty resilient. They should come back, just keep them in stable parameters. If one polyp is still there and looking good it'll spread.

 

[Maritimer]

I've never worked with GSP, but perhaps other members of the #reefsquad will know how to remove the algae (what kind is it?) from the frag.

~Bruce

 

[Jisko]

kid you not I've taken a tooth brush right to a GSP chunk and went to town on it haha this stuff is so hard to kill

 

[Jahalu]

Is it cyano? Have you tried just blasting it underwater with a turkey baster? Also, a few thoughts- It is worth mentioning that even though gsp are hardy, they can be really sensitive. Meaning, if I rearrange my rock work and move them, they will close for a few days before slowly opening again. They just don’t like to be moved around. Also, since your tank is new and not fully stocked yet, you might want to try target feeding that single polyp just to get things going. Gsp like nutrients.

 

[Lasse]

GSP and skeleton? As I know GSP is a soft coral without skeleton. If you do not remove the algae - it is a huge possibility that it will kill the last polyp too. I would try to remove the algae with a soft toothbrush. GSP can be tricky - especial in newly started aquaria.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Sabellafella]

Hey guys. So I'm a brand new reefer with my first 75g display 30g sump system that was setup a few months ago, and I recently quarantined three coral frags and moved them to my display. I got all three from worldwidecorals and dipped them and everything, and they were doing great in the QT for about two weeks, and then suddenly my green star polyps frag closed up. I think this had to do with a minor ammonia spike that I quickly got under control. But the green stars remained closed, to the point where excess amounts of algae were growing on the frag itself. I eventually moved the three frags to the display, and the other two are doing fine but the green stars are still struggling. I put it in the substrate on it's plug when I moved it over, because I was hoping to 1). not permanently attach it anywhere if it was dead (which I didn't know at the time), and 2). encourage my red and blue leg hermits to clean off the algae. They didn't. Since, it's been extending one single polyp that's been getting worse and worse as time goes on. It's been losing its arms, and it's down to one left. I know the coral is alive because it retracts its one polyp at night. Anyway, I need a way to get the algae off the surface of this frag, and quickly, because I'm very afraid it's going to die due to lack of light. It's been closed up for a while. I looked at other forums, and attempted to use an old toothbrush and paper towel to clean the algae off to no avail. I just end up damaging the tissue on the coral and exposing skeleton. If there is anything I can do to clean off this algae, please let me know. I don't have much livestock besides two clowns and a royal gramma. Thanks for the help. I've attached a very bad image, but you can see the algae and single polyp on the coral.

Agree with everyone! Ive been here and asked the same question plenty of times before. Move the little fella into more flow. Scrub the algae off. As long as the purple skin isn't disintegrating, it's alive! Just angry at the moment.

 

[chris k.]

I have even dipped my gsp in a peroxide dip to kill the algae. They will get mad and close up but in time will eventually open. I have mine in a high flow area.

 

[Gerald Garcia]

I have even dipped my gsp in a peroxide dip to kill the algae. They will get mad and close up but in time will eventually open. I have mine in a high flow area.

Get these snails, they will help too. It did with mine when I had algae problems on my GSP.

 

[Gerald Garcia]

Hey guys. So I'm a brand new reefer with my first 75g display 30g sump system that was setup a few months ago, and I recently quarantined three coral frags and moved them to my display. I got all three from worldwidecorals and dipped them and everything, and they were doing great in the QT for about two weeks, and then suddenly my green star polyps frag closed up. I think this had to do with a minor ammonia spike that I quickly got under control. But the green stars remained closed, to the point where excess amounts of algae were growing on the frag itself. I eventually moved the three frags to the display, and the other two are doing fine but the green stars are still struggling. I put it in the substrate on it's plug when I moved it over, because I was hoping to 1). not permanently attach it anywhere if it was dead (which I didn't know at the time), and 2). encourage my red and blue leg hermits to clean off the algae. They didn't. Since, it's been extending one single polyp that's been getting worse and worse as time goes on. It's been losing its arms, and it's down to one left. I know the coral is alive because it retracts its one polyp at night. Anyway, I need a way to get the algae off the surface of this frag, and quickly, because I'm very afraid it's going to die due to lack of light. It's been closed up for a while. I looked at other forums, and attempted to use an old toothbrush and paper towel to clean the algae off to no avail. I just end up damaging the tissue on the coral and exposing skeleton. If there is anything I can do to clean off this algae, please let me know. I don't have much livestock besides two clowns and a royal gramma. Thanks for the help. I've attached a very bad image, but you can see the algae and single polyp on the coral.

Add these to yur tank, if they are not in it already. A few... Like 6 or so snails.

 

[John3]

If you leave the algae it’s a goner. I’ve never dipped gsp in peroxide but that’s what I would do. I have dipped other similar corals that can retract their polyps like pipe organ corals and they were fine.

When I had gsp it was very sensitive to water parameter changes but always opened back up once parameters were brought back to normal. If you let your nutrients get too low your gsp will recede, melt, and die off. It’s very hardy in a high nutrient tank.