Metallic Green Star Polps won't open

[newbiesalttank]

I bought some Metallic Green Star Polps 1.5 weeks ago and they came out for the first two days somewhat but not a peep from them since that time. Normally, how long does it take for them to appear? I see that the rods are dark purple and some are turning lighter in the last couple of days..does that mean that some of the polps are getting ready to appear?
My parameters:
29 gallons, 175 watts of PC lighting. Moderate flow near the top of the tank.
Ammonia: 0, PH 8.2, Calcium 400, Nitrate/Nitrite: 0
35lbs of live rock
I did add more iodine and calcium in the last water change this weekend. Thanks

 

[jarvis]

It is to my understanding that polps need to be feed plankton. I am new to this and still taking alot of info in. Mabee some one could clirify on it.

 

[scotts]

How much light do they have? They need to be in direct light. Also equally, or more, important is the water flow. Star polyps love water flow. Mine are about 6" away from my powerheads and doing very well. Also on my powerheads I have rotating heads. This is not required but the polyps kind of go with the flow. So it looks like a field in the wind.
The polyps are filter feeders so they eat the little stuff out of the water. Jarvis do not take this as unkind, but it is my understanding that plankton are too big for the polyps to eat.
Please see if this helps and post how things are going.
Scott

 

[newbiesalttank]

Thanks for the kind reply since I hope that my star polps are just getting used to the water since they are at the very top in direct light contact. In addition, they are around 6-8 inches from a moving power head so I will give it a few more days and see if they don't peek around.
If you have anymore suggestions, let me know!

 

[rsd]

My polyps did something similar. Closed up for about a week then reopened. I did some research and found that a couple different authors recommend not dosing iodine into tanks holding these type of polyps. It seems they don't react well. I began adding iodine for my xenia but it seems to multiply just fine with out it so I cut it out of my supplements and all my corals are fine... the star polyps have gone nuts. Good luck. When they kick off they will spread like weeds... or more like a really thick moss.

 

[newbiesalttank]

That's weird you mentioned the iodine issue since someone else had posted something on one of the other Star Polps thread that they recommended adding iodine to jump start it. I have heard that the Star Polps do go crazy once they get started but I am still anxiously waiting for them to start. I am a little worry since I just bought them about a week and half ago and only saw them out twice. At the LFS, they were all out and waving around!
hee hee

 

[chinnyr]

Mine do the same thing,closing up every so often too.Makes me have to do a quick check on my system because I think something is wrong.And,after a few days things go back to normal.I still can't figure out why.

 

[entice59]

since we both live in the same city, why not spot buy and give me a piece of that starpolyp rock? =)

 

[teatime]

Mine stayed closed for almost 3 weeks after I put them in my tank. Now 8 months later they are spreading nicely. They still close up every now and again for a few days. I always check my prams but find nothing wrong. Good luck to yours.

 

[greebs]

I purchased a 'mat' of star polyps about a month ago. They looked fine for about a week and then they went dormant. I really thought I had killed them off but today several polyps have popped out again and I know it's been at least two if not three weeks since I saw them last so I'd say to be patient with them and they eventually should come back out.

 

[saltyshark]

Isn't it possible that they are getting too much light...causing them to close up and hide from the intense lighting? I have polyps and they are closer to the bottom of the tank. They open up very often and other close only when they feel threated...usually when a fish swoops by them, and when I turn off the lights.
I say you should wait another day or two, if they don't open up consider moving them around to different parts of the tank. Try to put them somewhere with less light, more or less flow. Just experiment. HTH
Goodluck
Mike

 

[newbiesalttank]

I moved the star polps around to see if they liked it in a different spot. It's still getting a decent wave motion from the powerhead and enough light. It's been 2.5 weeks now since I bought the darn thing and nada. In fact, I see some of the rods starting to go clear and white now. Is that bad?
I also found out that 2 of my damsels were munching on excess pieces of the polps so out they went! hee hee
Anyone else have any idea(s)? Do they need iodine additions? I have only mushrooms so I dont want to cut off the iodine weekly additions, right? HELP!
Thanks

 

[teatime]

Like I said earlier mine didn't come out for three weeks. I thought for sure they were dead. But they did come out. Don't move them around to much, they will be okay.

 

[quazi]

Mine only come out a little, but grow and spread nicely. I gave some to a friend of mine, and once in his tank, the GSP "bloomed" and are darker green, larger polyps, and growing well.
Different water environments (i.e., chemical parameters and livestock) will product different results. You may have something iin your tank that inhibits the GSP.
Then again, maybe a little time adjusting will be all that is necessary

 

[newbiesalttank]

I will be patient. I just don't want the star polps to be dead and start polluting the water without me knowing. You might be right about different chemicals in the tank. I know I have problems with some corals and it might just a little more maturing of my water.
Thanks!

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

Just wait. After i bought my yellow polyps, the came right out and seemed to be fine. After a day or 2, they went in for like 2 hours, and then came back out. Happens, and u don't really know. My yellow polyps are reproducing and I've only had them for 4 days now.. Its on another rock already eheheh. Are xenia hard to keep? They look very good to me and I seem to like them alot lolz