GSP won’t open

[Psychonaut]

Hey so I’m looking for some advice on a couple frags I just put into my tank. I was going to hold off putting anything in for a few more weeks but I went to my local frag swap, and after meeting some very generous local reefers, I ended up leaving with a few corals for my tank. I got some GSP, some gorgonian, a toadstool leather, a mushroom, a Duncan, and was peer pressured to take a piece of chalice.

9 weeks past end of cycle.
Ph 8-8.1
Temp 78.4-78.8
S/g 1.025
Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0
Dk/h 9.1-9.3
Cal 420-440
Mag 1310-1320

Stocked with foxface, Midas blenny, lawnmower blenny, watchman goby, pair of clowns, and royal gramma and CUC

So first I was looking for a hand IDing this mushroom. Rodactis? Ricordia? And does it look happy where it’s at?

Second the only corals I put in my system that still havnt opened after 3 days are my GSP. Started at sand bed, next day I moved halfway up rock work and still nothing. Totally closed. Could this be because I don’t have any nitrates?

I run a skimmer 24/7 and a 150w UFO fuge light alternating my display lights. What would be suggestions for getting some detectable nitrates? Skim less? fuge light on less?

I thought maybe my test kit was off (Red Sea) so I did another nitrates test and got 0. Then I check with the API kit I used to cycle my tank and 0.
Thank you!

 

[RIreefGuy]

What's your flow like? I'd would say just stop messing with the gsp and it will open back up

 

[Sumo Reef]

My GSP's will sometimes close up for 4-5 days randomly and come back out. They actually came back out this morning after 4 days of being closed up.

As far as needing nitrates I would say to just keep feeding your tank daily and letting the cycle continue. I wouldn't count your cycle complete until your rocks are green, grey, and/or purple

 

[Psychonaut]

I have an icecap gyre 3k at no more than 60%. Anymore than that and it blows the bejesus out of my sand. Yea that’s what the guy who gave it to me said. I’m trying to grow it out on my back wall so he said to just glue it down and leave it alone so I did that yesterday, and fingers are crossed.

It’s just the opposite of what I was expecting. I thought the GSP were unkillable and would immediately thrive in my new tank, it was the Duncan I was worried about but he looks great

 

[RIreefGuy]

My GSP's will sometimes close up for 4-5 days randomly and come back out. They actually came back out this morning after 4 days of being closed up.

That's funny. Mine do the same and are closed up right now as well. Been 3 or 4 days. Is it a full moon perhaps lol

 

[moz71]

I am sure they are fine. Give them time. They are a funny coral. May take a couple days to open and like others say they close up for days for seems like no reason. I have basically 0 phosphate and nitrate as well. Mine seem to grow in spurts as well. I am in a rapid growing phase after a month of very little growth.

 

[Psychonaut]

I am sure they are fine. Give them time. They are a funny coral. May take a couple days to open and like others say they close up for days for seems like no reason. I have basically 0 phosphate and nitrate as well. Mine seem to grow in spurts as well. I am in a rapid growing phase after a month of very little growth.

Are you worried about those 0 numbers or doing anything to correct it or just gonna run with it?

 

[MnFish1]

Second the only corals I put in my system that still havnt opened after 3 days are my GSP. Started at sand bed, next day I moved halfway up rock work and still nothing. Totally closed. Could this be because I don’t have any nitrates?

Check out my build thread - to see some GSP - its in the middle of the tank 'bridging' the 2 sides. If I change water - it will close up - up to 24 hours completely (i.e. is just purple - cant see any green - sometimes you just see the button in the middle - but no 'tentacles'). Once after a heater failure (power outage) it stayed closed for 5 days. Iwouldnt worry about it - its probably the change in parameters between your tank - and the one from which it came.

 

[moz71]

Are you worried about those 0 numbers or doing anything to correct it or just gonna run with it?

I am a little but goingcwuth it for now since I really don’t believe they are absolute Zero as on my test kits. (Hanna and selfies). My new tank is 6 months old and taking it slow. I just recently noticed all my film algae dramatically reduced and all my coral frags are doing great. I plan on just feeding heavier as add more fish. Don’t believe and chasing numbers until well mature. Don’t fix what’s not broke. Lol

 

[Robg139]

Same thing happen when I got gsp in my tank, out of my corals I have a yuma, Xenia, zoas, Duncan, candy cane, and cloves even my anemone acclimated and opened up faster then my gsp. It took maybe 3 days for them to fully open. Even still before I turn my light on for the day every coral is open from the sunlight showing thru the window but my gsp won’t open till my prime is on and closes the same time every night regardless if I shut the light or keep it on a little longer

 

[Psychonaut]

OK y’all, so a little update it turns out my foxface is eating them. I witnessed it last night and when I woke up this morning both of my little 1” frag plugs of GSP were halfway gone.

So my new dilemma is do I just keep the foxface, accept that I can’t keep GSP (ill survive) and hope he doesn’t eat anything else

Or should I get rid of the foxface I already spent 5 weeks QTing and get another one?

 

[moz71]

Oh geez! Didn't see a foxface in the picture of your tank. They are listed a caution due to nipping at corals. And if he already developed a taste most likely will just continue and you will never know what other corals he may nip at until too late. So, if you are planning on doing more corals then you may want to rehome him. But that is a personal choice. It does stink that you put so much time in QTing. If me (I plan on doing many more corals so I am avoiding all these "with caution fish" ) I would find a new home. I just removed all my hermit crabs since one decided to give my GSP a haircut. You are definitely not alone in that it is so hard to plan out the right inhabitants for your tank. I am seriousely thinking of doing another fish-only tank just for these reasons. My daughter keeps asking for beutiful angels and such and tired of telling her "Nope"

 

[Psychonaut]

Haha yea moz live and learn I suppose. My daughter is super attached to the fish, so right now the plan is to ride it out but the moment he eats another coral, like a zoa, I’ll have to re-home him

 

[moz71]

Haha yea moz live and learn I suppose. My daughter is super attached to the fish, so right now the plan is to ride it out but the moment he eats another coral, like a zoa, I’ll have to re-home him

best of luck to you! Hopefully just likes GSP!lol

 

[Psychonaut]

best of luck to you! Hopefully just likes GSP!lol

Thanks! Fingers crossed

 

[Sunny Goold]

Stoked I found this thread - I have new acro frags and GSP and yeah... my acros are doing well and its the GSP that closed up for 36 hours now (after I did a bit of blowing with the turkey baster). As I only have a Six line and a couple of Cleaner Shrimp I guess I don't have to be concerned. Thanks all