Is green pocillopora really that bad?

W1ngz · Mar 5, 2020

Quite a few months ago, one of my first test SPS was an itty bitty 2cm piece of pocillopora encrusted onto a plug. I snapped it off the plug, glued it onto a rock and left the encrusted plug down in the sand. Fast forward to now, I have a two little colonies, one where I glued it down and another on the plug I'd haphazardly tossed into the sand.

I also seem to have 2 new stalks starting on another rock way up top... but I never put anything up there.

So what gives? Is pocillopora really the 'xenia of SPS' like I read along the way? Should I just kill it off now while I have a chance?

x2uranium · Mar 5, 2020

I would never again put it in my tank. Had it spawn before. They reproduce everywhere in a healthy tank to the point of wanted to break a tank down and start over with out them
Ever again lol.

Greybeard · Mar 5, 2020

If it likes your tank, it can very quickly take over the tank. It's not an unmanageable problem, I know lots of folks that like it. Heck, I like it myself... but you should know that it can become invasive.

ether · Mar 5, 2020

I've had some in my tank for about a year, and now it's sprouting in 5 or so places. I could epoxy or superglue when I see them, would only take 10 minutes a month. If you don't want to deal with that, get it out now.

this is me · Mar 5, 2020

Yeah. No Poci for me either. Stylo is a much better looking and behaving.

Magellan · Mar 5, 2020

I’ve got a nice colony that I’ve had for about a year. It’s grown tremendously, but the only other place it has grown was from a physical piece of it getting broken off by a snail and transported by my urchin, something that could have happened with any sps.

I really like it tbh. And as others have said, easily managed. I’ve also done a good job of keeping it isolated, as you can see it’s tried to spread but shades itself out and has nowhere to go.

Tahoe61 · Mar 5, 2020

Would not place in my tank.

reefwreak · Mar 5, 2020

I definitely avoid it these days, even if someone offers it for free. In my old 120g, I had little colonies of it all over the tank, under rocks, in the sump, and in clear plumbing that was exposed to light, some even growing in my skimmer. If coralline will grow there, so will pocillapora.

Also, it's not really that it is spawning in your tank (sexual propagation of corals is extremely rare), but more polyp bailout, where polyps in shaded areas will disconnect from the colony to start growing elsewhere. They do look beautiful in moderately lit places, but they will absolutely grow all over your tank. Finally, a reason for a parrot fish!

2Wheelsonly · Mar 5, 2020

I recently gutted my tank and was shocked at how much of this was sitting in my rock work I couldn't see. I ended up cutting out enough to fill half of a home depot 5 gallon bucket. It's not hard to cut out but it will win a battle with any coral it touches and grows extremely fast.

jerrod · Mar 5, 2020

I wish half my corals reproduced as well I have about 20 or 30 around the tank that I just moved to one rock. They do spread out I now have 4 tennis ball colonies and a lot of 1/2" to 3/4 inch frags. I give them away to people starting out now im seeing if they'll merge into a giant. Sorry for the heavy blues.

W1ngz · Mar 5, 2020

Well that sucks. I really like the metallic green coloration. I'll pull it while I still can it seems.

PatW · Mar 6, 2020

I have a large colony and it produced another that is now large. But since then nothing. It could be the species I have.

Gareth elliott · Mar 6, 2020

i like how quickly it grows and how attractive it looks as a healthy colony. But one bad day, a few polyps bail, and theres a new colony growing 2 feet away on your overflow box.

I have debated having a hybrid/fowlr system with it Lol. There are few sps corals that can approach how quickly it grows in captivity. So have wondered on the ability of large system given a few years of growth if it could handle the feed needs of a single coralivore butterfly that normally we wouldnt be able to keep in a hobbyist level tank.

scchase · Mar 6, 2020

P. damicornus can be pretty bad, I have seen the spring up all over tanks, however the other less common species such as verrucosa, eydouxi, and meandrina don't seem to do this IME. Of course they also seem to be harder to keep alive. Damicornus is a pioneer species that is quick to colonize after an area has been cleared of coral.

trout · Mar 6, 2020

No Pocillopora for me either. Last time I had one, it spread every where including my clams' shells.

evolved · Mar 6, 2020

Pocollipora, a good idea?

My first couple of SPS frags were a neon green birdsnest and a green pocillopra. The birdsnest has grown massively whilst the pocillopra is only just starting to take off. I hear the stories of polyp bailout and I don't want a display of rather boring pocillopora. Do happy, healthy pocillopra...

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