Goniopora babies ?

Z06-Hec · Aug 19, 2014

i have been noticing my Goni, both of my green ones, seem to be getting new tentacles, very tiny ones in between the current tentacles.
Is that how they grow?

Curious because there is bare skeleton on both on the outer parts of the colony. So why grow in the middle of other tentacles instead of spreading over the un-used skeleton?

i will try to get a decent picture of them.

Z06-Hec · Aug 19, 2014

After reading around i guess the term baby is not correct... as others have posted babies actually popping off the Goni itself.
I def see tiny tentacles growing in between the larger longer tentacles though....

Tab28 · Aug 19, 2014

I have several goni's some for over 6 years and mine have never popped out babies. They all do have tiny smaller polyps noticeable in water current. These small polyps are just that small poyps growing between the larger ones as the colony grows.

Z06-Hec · Aug 19, 2014

They look cool though, and I guess if something is growing on it then it is a good sign. Again not sure why it would grow in between other polyps instead of the bare skeleton but hey, good is good i guess..

tyler1503 · Aug 19, 2014

Z06-Hec said:
They look cool though, and I guess if something is growing on it then it is a good sign. Again not sure why it would grow in between other polyps instead of the bare skeleton but hey, good is good i guess..

Is the bare part of the skeleton shaded? I see quite a few goniopora and alvepora that have a "dead" bottom part. Either from being shaded by the upper part of the colony (the way it can on a large birdsnest colony) or from being placed in the sand.

Tab28 · Aug 20, 2014

The new polyps are adding to the upper mound area. There are a number if reasons the lower portion will get bare. Many times it is because it gets covered with sand killing the flesh. It can recover flesh on that area. The flesh will just creep down and cover the bare areas. Mine has done that several times. The encrusting types of gonipora will grow much faster.

Z06-Hec · Aug 20, 2014

Actually my larger Green Goni came bare on bottom, probably from the store having it on the sand. I placed it on top of a flat rock on the sand so it should be good.
My smaller Green Goni ( my first ever ) had gotten brown jelly and it literally ate the center of the goni if you look at it from top down. I really thought it was just going to die all together as it was my first and i didnt know much. I quickly looked around and did 2 peroxide dips and it saved the rest of it. Now its growing the little ones in between the other polyps but that bare skeleton is still in the middle.
This one is placed higher in the tank on rock as well.
I am considering moving it somewhere else to make a nice spot for a bubble tip nem. The Goni has done great in that spot but I would like to give the nem an optimal spot so that it gets happy and doesnt start swimming and stinging everything in my tank.

The larger one, skeleton size is like a tennis ball. Extended is huge
The smaller is like half golf ball.

tyler1503 · Aug 20, 2014

Z06-Hec said:
Actually my larger Green Goni came bare on bottom, probably from the store having it on the sand. I placed it on top of a flat rock on the sand so it should be good.
My smaller Green Goni ( my first ever ) had gotten brown jelly and it literally ate the center of the goni if you look at it from top down. I really thought it was just going to die all together as it was my first and i didnt know much. I quickly looked around and did 2 peroxide dips and it saved the rest of it. Now its growing the little ones in between the other polyps but that bare skeleton is still in the middle.
This one is placed higher in the tank on rock as well.
I am considering moving it somewhere else to make a nice spot for a bubble tip nem. The Goni has done great in that spot but I would like to give the nem an optimal spot so that it gets happy and doesnt start swimming and stinging everything in my tank.

The larger one, skeleton size is like a tennis ball. Extended is huge
The smaller is like half golf ball.

Got any pics?

I love a good goni. I'm looking to get some for my 120 when it's ready for coral.