Button Polyps spreading- good or bad?

hessfish125 · 09/16/2013, 06:07 PM

Well, I have button polyps that are very, very healthy. So healthy they are growing all over. They are spreading to many other rocks and even growing directly in the sand.

Is this a problem I should be aware of? Or is this just a preference thing? Is there a way to control the growth? And finally what do I do with the ones I don't want? I don't want to injure any but there are some on rock I have planned on putting other coral on.

Sorry for so many questions but I am new and don't want to injure any polyps.

Any help is welcomed!

UTCReefer · 09/16/2013, 08:53 PM

Not a problem really. Eventually all corals start to take over. Just trim them back how you want and take the rest to a LFS or trade them locally.

dinger28 · 09/18/2013, 06:48 PM

Agreed. Polyps are beautiful, but do need to be controlled if you want lots of corals.

sanchezz · 09/20/2013, 09:57 AM

Some call them "texas trash palys" but just be weary, once they start taking over it can be almost impossible to get rid of them.

firebirdude · 09/20/2013, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UTCReefer

Not a problem really. Eventually all corals start to take over. Just trim them back how you want and take the rest to a LFS or trade them locally.

Yup. Be thankful those are at least decent looking though. Not just a doodoo brown blob.

FuGu2 · 09/20/2013, 10:30 AM

Not any way to control growth unless you do it by reducing nutrients and supplemental minerals which is not really recommended. In other words, if you give it just enough of what it needs to survive, it will still look nice, but not have enough energy to propogate.

UTCReefer · 09/24/2013, 09:54 PM

I should have said that you want to make sure that you really like something before it spreads too. If it doesnt bring you joy, axe it.

CT Reefer · 09/25/2013, 10:24 AM

+1 on controlling these - if you don't like them. They will spread and inhibit other corals. Just a note of caution, palys can sting you too...wear gloves and make sure your eyes are protected if you start trimming.

gbru316 · 09/25/2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CT Reefer

+1 on controlling these - if you don't like them. They will spread and inhibit other corals. Just a note of caution, palys can sting you too...wear gloves and make sure your eyes are protected if you start trimming.

Paly's don't sting, they are toxic.

Palytoxin is very dangerous, there have been a few close calls posted through the years.

walkerbrody · 10/06/2013, 09:39 PM

I got quite sick twice due to these pallys. It starts with a strong metallic taste in your mouth and not long after I got chills, hot flashes and severe nausea. I removed the rock from my tank and will never have them again. Be careful.

hessfish125 · 10/07/2013, 08:24 PM

So if I want to remove should I remove the rocks from the water instead of trimming in the water?

Ptyochromis · 10/08/2013, 01:55 AM

DONT TRIM IN THE WATER (ever). You are going to want to frag that with all the proper safety equipment while being mindful of cross contamination. That looks a whole lot like Palythoa toxicus, I would treat it like it is regardless. Having been poisoned once, I can tell you that it is no fun; the heart palpitations are the worst part.

I wouldn't worry about injuring the polyps, they are very resilient.

To frag, You are going to need: latex disposible gloves, face shield, apron (coveralls will work) scalpel or exacto knife, ziplock bags, super glue, rocks/frag pegs, Tupperware container, fraging area like your bathtub/shower (i like the shower for ez cleaning).

Open all the bags and situate them so you can reach in without touching the bag.
Open your super glue and put it in a bag so you can use it without touching the glue container
Wear all the saftey gear
Fill tupperware container with water
Take out the paly-rock and put it in the tupperware container
Do your fragging
Put your knife in a ziplock bag (don't close bag yet).
Put tools that you have touched with dirty gloves into bags (leave bags open, and avoid touching the outside of the bag).
Rinse frags off in tupperware container.
Dispose of water in tupperware container (the toilet is a good option)
Put frags in tupperware container
Return frags to tank
Put tupperware container in ziplock bag
Dispose of gloves
Take superglue out of bag
Close bags containing tools
Take and wear a clean glove and throw away the bag that held the glue
Dispose of glove
Label bags and store
Wash hands/forearms with hot water + soap for 1-2 min.
If you fragged in the shower/tub run hot water and apply bleach to clean

I think that just about covers how I avoid cross-contamination when fragging zoanthids (minus the actual fragging bit).

09/25/2013, 10:24 AM	#8
CT Reefer CTARS Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: In front of my tank Posts: 352	+1 on controlling these - if you don't like them. They will spread and inhibit other corals. Just a note of caution, palys can sting you too...wear gloves and make sure your eyes are protected if you start trimming. __________________ --------- 140 Gallon mixed reef. ACAN LEDs, Bubble King skimmer, GFO reactor, Tunze 7095 Controller w/turbelle pumps, Tunze Osmolator ATO w/kalk, 2 part doser (BRS), Digital Aquatics RKE. Current Tank Info: 140 gallon mixed reef, various grow out tanks

10/06/2013, 09:39 PM	#10
walkerbrody lost ball in high weeds Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gadsden, Al Posts: 504	I got quite sick twice due to these pallys. It starts with a strong metallic taste in your mouth and not long after I got chills, hot flashes and severe nausea. I removed the rock from my tank and will never have them again. Be careful. __________________ "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right." — Henry Ford Current Tank Info: 265 mixed reef, 110 fowlr, 40g fuge, 75g sump.

10/07/2013, 08:24 PM	#11
hessfish125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Lancaster SC Posts: 73	So if I want to remove should I remove the rocks from the water instead of trimming in the water? __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Current Tank Info: 125 gal with 30 gal sump, Octopus Skimmer, Water Polisher, Ionizer, LED lights, 120 ibs Live Rock, Fish and corals

10/08/2013, 01:55 AM	#12
Ptyochromis Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Posts: 467	DONT TRIM IN THE WATER (ever). You are going to want to frag that with all the proper safety equipment while being mindful of cross contamination. That looks a whole lot like Palythoa toxicus, I would treat it like it is regardless. Having been poisoned once, I can tell you that it is no fun; the heart palpitations are the worst part. I wouldn't worry about injuring the polyps, they are very resilient. To frag, You are going to need: latex disposible gloves, face shield, apron (coveralls will work) scalpel or exacto knife, ziplock bags, super glue, rocks/frag pegs, Tupperware container, fraging area like your bathtub/shower (i like the shower for ez cleaning). Open all the bags and situate them so you can reach in without touching the bag. Open your super glue and put it in a bag so you can use it without touching the glue container Wear all the saftey gear Fill tupperware container with water Take out the paly-rock and put it in the tupperware container Do your fragging Put your knife in a ziplock bag (don't close bag yet). Put tools that you have touched with dirty gloves into bags (leave bags open, and avoid touching the outside of the bag). Rinse frags off in tupperware container. Dispose of water in tupperware container (the toilet is a good option) Put frags in tupperware container Return frags to tank Put tupperware container in ziplock bag Dispose of gloves Take superglue out of bag Close bags containing tools Take and wear a clean glove and throw away the bag that held the glue Dispose of glove Label bags and store Wash hands/forearms with hot water + soap for 1-2 min. If you fragged in the shower/tub run hot water and apply bleach to clean I think that just about covers how I avoid cross-contamination when fragging zoanthids (minus the actual fragging bit). __________________ WPG is a lie. Don't misidentify Phyllangia sp. as Aiptasia. Current Tank Info: skimmerless, sps dominant 29gal+20gal fuge. 100% NNR Last edited by Ptyochromis; 10/08/2013 at 02:08 AM.

09/16/2013, 08:53 PM	#2
UTCReefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 652	Not a problem really. Eventually all corals start to take over. Just trim them back how you want and take the rest to a LFS or trade them locally.

09/18/2013, 06:48 PM	#3
dinger28 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Indian Land, SC Posts: 385	Agreed. Polyps are beautiful, but do need to be controlled if you want lots of corals.

09/20/2013, 09:57 AM	#4
sanchezz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 33	Some call them "texas trash palys" but just be weary, once they start taking over it can be almost impossible to get rid of them.

09/20/2013, 10:30 AM	#6
FuGu2 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Vernon Hills, IL Posts: 88	Not any way to control growth unless you do it by reducing nutrients and supplemental minerals which is not really recommended. In other words, if you give it just enough of what it needs to survive, it will still look nice, but not have enough energy to propogate.

09/24/2013, 09:54 PM	#7
UTCReefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 652	I should have said that you want to make sure that you really like something before it spreads too. If it doesnt bring you joy, axe it.