Star Polyps again

[iechy]

I have attached a pic of my star polyps which still won't open after two weeks. Do you think that the other polyps next to it are stinging it? Are these an aggresive type? I guess it is some type of zooanthid on the rock next to them I am wondering if they could be causing the stars to stay inside.

 

[irishstout]

What are your water params testing at?

 

[iechy]

They seem ok to me.
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
pH - 8.1
Salinity- 1.025
Temp - 80-82
I don't know what current Alk and Calc levels are. I am getting some new test kits this weekend. I also will be doing my monthly 25% change saturday so that should bring the trates down a little.

 

[frankl15207]

What kind of light are they under?
Where are they located in the tank?
What kind of current are they in?
Mine responded to higher light and moderate current.

 

[iechy]

They're in a 55 under 220 watts of VHO 1 actinic and 1 10,000 k
They're pretty high up with unobstructed light and have about a medium current. I am thinking I just got a stinker. I'll just leave them where they are for a while and see if anything happens. they aren't hurting anything and must still be alive because I'll get one or two polyps opening each day little bit. I just wanted to be sure they weren't being harmed by anything I was doing.

 

[irishstout]

Those params are all normal. And they havent opened in a 2 weeks? hmmmm have you tried other locations in the tank? Mine were under the same lighting for several months at the bottom of the tank and did fine. What kind of lights were they under before you brought them home? It took mine about a week to acclimate themselves and fully open when I got them. I would try a new location just to see if you get a change in status. HTH but in the meantime maybe a shark will come in a solve this mystery.

 

[stupid_naso]

Give it time, and don't move it. Let it adapt to its new environment. Once it feels happy then those polyps will come out. Don't worry they start very slow, but when they start growing they go crazy. Mine is so big now, though in the beginning it was hardly opening like yours.
Remember, patience...
stupid_naso

 

[broomer5]

Your water and lighting sound good.
I agree with stupid_naso and others - it just may take some more time.
If it's any consolation - I've got green and red star polyps.
When I transferred them from being in one tank for over a year, to the other for a year or so, and then over to my new tank in January ..... it seemed to take almost a full month before they completely opened up no matter where I placed them.

 

[iechy]

OK thanks everyone. I'll just wait it out where they are. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong since this is my first try with any type of coral.

 

[jonthefb]

i agree with everything the other s have said so far. I bought a colony from a lfs, an dit took them about a month to open completely also. I would get dingle polyps each day, and they would slowly grow in number until they were all open, and are now growing liek weeds as well.
good luck
jon

 

[stang69]

As a general rule of thumb if a coral doesnt open fully or extend full I personally move it around every cpl daz till I find a spot that it does.
Jeff

 

[nicenakago]

I would try a dose of iodine and make sure the calc levels are up.
I bet if you dose some iodine they will pop right out... almost instantly.
I think it is rare... but there may be some undedectable algae (to the

[hr]
eye) attaching itself to it, which may cause it to not extend fully...

 

[barracuda]

I woluld try to put them in a lower place as they don't like too much lights. They can adjust to a different currents and lights, but you can try to move them down.

 

[herbbie]

With the help of my LFS guy, who is the best around here (30 years experience in marine aquariums), he help me set up our reef tank. We put a star polyp in my new set up. It was placed near the bottom of the tank, and it opened up right away. It sounds like, from the information in this thread, that the star polyp dosent' like too much light. I would suggest mvoing it lower down. HTH, and let us know how it goes.

 

[iechy]

Thanks for the replies I did move them down to the bottom yeaterday and they are starting to open up now. I had been told that they liked alot of light but I guess sometimes some things that work in some tanks don't work in others. Anyway since I was feeling bad about the way they were looking I went and got a candy cane and a branching flowerpot which both look very happy and beatiful already.