How to trim GSP

[mike550]

Hello! Newbie reefer here. My GSP is overtaking a small colony of clove polyps so I’d like to trim back the GSP. Can I use kitchen scissors to trim back the GSP (it’s not secured to rock in that area) or would I be better off using an exacto blade? I’d like to do the least trauma and damage to the GSP.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jekyl]

Trimming won't do it. GSP is a vile weed sent by the devil to invade my nightmares. Best to keep it completely separated from everything. Otherwise you can try and peel it off the rock, some other have had luck covering with aiptasia x

 

[Rmckoy]

Scissors work but it will grow back with a vengeance .

 

[Fishinwall]

It is pretty... just know that it will spread but you can control by keeping iron an island or wall.

 

[Fishinwall]

If you have a razor, use that.

 

[CMMorgan]

I love GSP. If my new DT EVER shows up, I hope to grow it up the back wall like grass..

 

[Rickybobby]

I keep it as an island. Off the frag plug. Doesn’t stop it. I cut it with scissors and either frag it or chuck it. Crazy coral. Beautiful but wow

 

[Rmckoy]

I love GSP. If my new DT EVER shows up, I hope to grow it up the back wall like grass..

My wife calls it grass ..
she got a small 1” frag and thought it was pretty .
along with Xenia .
I have always had issues keeping them so wasn’t worried about spreading .

wow ... the first time they have spread as much and as fast .
She calls them her grass and the waving hands

 

[LegendaryCG]

TLDR; chop it up
All corals are compromised of many small genetically identical animals called polyps. Assuming an individual polyp survives the entire animal can replicate.

 

[Crabby48]

Scissors, knife or just rip it with your hands. Never had it care how I trim it

 

[Rmckoy]

I’ve noticed I don’t even have to cut ours.
I find chunks floating around and under rocks .

not sure if the flow breaks them off or if they grow in a way to release pieces

 

[Rmckoy]

Found this on the other end of the dt

weird though , it doesn’t have the same purple colour Matt that it normally has .
How did it get there ?

 

[LegendaryCG]

Found this on the other end of the dt

weird though , it doesn’t have the same purple colour Matt that it normally has .
How did it get there ?

I believe most soft corals will detach and drift to spread. In my case, my urchin LOVES to tear soft coral apart and carry it to a different spot in the tank.

 

[Rmckoy]

I believe most soft corals will detach and drift to spread. In my case, my urchin LOVES to tear soft coral apart and carry it to a different spot in the tank.

I re homed my urchin after getting tired of picking frags off the bottom , and picking rocks up that were pushed onto corals .

 

[LegendaryCG]

I re homed my urchin after getting tired of picking frags off the bottom , and picking rocks up that were pushed onto corals .

I have a tank with a pair of maroons that actively grab pieces of substrate and toss them at the coral in the tank. It’s both funny and annoying!

 

[Erik-Reefer]

I once had a decorator crab that found a piece of GSP and decided it looked better on him than the plug!

 

[mdb_talon]

Chainsaw.

 

[Rmckoy]

When I was a teenager first getting aquariums .
I had a friend that used to call the crabs “ carrier crabs “ and they would carry objects around on their backs .
I haven’t seen anything like it since .

 

[Crabby48]

Chainsaw.

And it will still live

 

[CMMorgan]

My wife calls it grass ..
she got a small 1” frag and thought it was pretty .
along with Xenia .
I have always had issues keeping them so wasn’t worried about spreading .

wow ... the first time they have spread as much and as fast .
She calls them her grass and the waving hands

I have the waving hand xenia also.... it was gifted to me.... a great huge rock of it. It looks like the blow up things in front of the car wash. Thankfully, non-invasive thus far.