Green Button Polyp Problem

[bluefyre88]

Hi, i have about a 1 year old 55 gal reef tank. I have had the button polyps for about 9 months. About a month ago some of them began to fold outward instead of inward. Now almost all of them fold outward. The little ''arms'' around the side of the polyps have folded outward instead of inward so that the green is always showing...even at night when everything else has gone to sleep. I checked my levels ... all were ok to perfect. THought maybe my tests were broken brought some water to my lfs and again same results. I regularly add calcium, molybdenum and strontium, trace, magnesium, and iodine. I also have an elegance coral in the tank, which is no where near it but that is thriving. I also hear that these corals are extremely difficult to keep so since mines been living really well for the past 9 months *purchased at same time* i think this is a good indicator of my water quality. What is the problem with my polyps and what can i do to fix it?
-Thanks Blue
o and the only fish in my tank is a little ocelarris clown.
inverts are 2 sand sifting stars
10 turbo snails
a handful of blue legged hermits

 

[bluefyre88]

If anyone has an idea please tell me...thanks

 

[f1shman]

Maybe clown is nipping them? Sorry I really have no clue, just wanted to let you know people are looking at your thred :joy: :joy:

 

[jscott71]

Not sure if this is helpful or not, but I'm sort of in the same boat. We've had a cluster of button polyps (Palythoa,more red than green) for quite some time and they've always had 1" stalks and "long" tentacles. At the beginning of this year, we moved and I placed them in a different location, less flow and a little higher. After six months I've noticed that the tentacles are short and almost non-existant on some as well as a color change in the disc, almost silver on many with only a little green. The only other thing that I have changed is the occasional spot feeding. The weird part is the other colonies I started look just about the same as they always have.
My theory: They are relying more on lighting --> Thus shorter tentacles and a color morph. This is just a theory, hopefully someone else may have some ideas.

 

[bluefyre88]

yes, thats the exact problem, i just got back from the G.B. REEF! IT WAS AMAZING .. anyway i was thinking the same thing so i moved them back to the bottom w/ less water flow- im hoping that this after some time will do something - hopefully sooner so as they dont die? still to early to tell ... anyone else have any theories...i mean it was 5 weeks and only 1 reply haha

 

[fishieness]

i have seen many green buttons at my LFS, and most of them have what you jsut described, but i have only seen this on button polyps.
jscott71, i know what you mean. I have some zoos during a huge algae bloom where you would only see a few inches into my tank. The skirts on the polyps where short. then when the algae bloom left finaly, they are now much longer and thinner. So i think it is light. well... i HOPE it is light... anyone know?
but i dont think the buttons turing like that is a big deal, most of the ones i see have that for some reason. i do not know the cause, but thought i could give you some reassurence that it probably isnt anything bad. But does anyone know for sure?