Blue Clove Polyps melted....

[jselzler1]

and I don't know why.

I had a small spot of blue clove polyps on piece of live rock that eventually grew into a 4" x 4" patch. I noticed yesterday when blowing off rockwork that there seemed to be more detritus than normal on this patch. Today I see it wasn't detritus but actually the polyps melted. Now I can blow them off the rock, and even the Starry Blenny is pecking at them (for a meal??). I don't know what has happened to them. I did a water change last weekend but no changes since then. These polyps have been in the same spot for 4 months and same lights, it cant be a lighting issue. I also see a Ponape Birdsnest frag very near look very unhappy. Only a few polyps on the tips are extended, the rest or not in view or maybe the dang this is even bleaching.

All the other coral, livestock, snails, and shrimp look normal so far. Just tested full params, no real big changes since testing before the water change last weekend.

Temp: 76.2
NH4: 0 mg/l
NO2: 0 mg/l
NO3: 1.0 mg/l
PO4: 0.03 mg/l
Ph: 8.4
Ca: 420
Alk: 11.2
Salinity: 1.025

My alk is a little higher than I like but was same last week also. Am I missing some trace element? Or perhaps some mineral got in? Did try the Petco Water for a few changes but lat water changes Red Sea Coral Pro. I'll be mixing up some salt water tonite for 20% change tomorrow, maybe find some Polyfilter to add tomorrow.

Jason

 

[saltcrazy]

I have lost a patch before and all parameters were in check. Anything you have done differently? Lighting?


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[saltcrazy]

Mine were blue as well and just vanished into what your describing. No changes for me either


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[Kman2010]

50$ say asterina star fish ate them

 

[ReefKeeper1699]

I agree star probably are them

 

[jarrodsanborn]

leave the rock where it is, and wait. mine came back after 6 months from a tiny remaining speck.

 

[higorc]

I have A LOT of Asterina stars in my tank and they never touched nothing.

IME if Asterina is eating something, it means it's was on its way out already. I consider Asterina stars part of the clean up crew and they will go after anything that's dead or dying to clean it up.

If you find out for a fact the ones in your tank are eating the Blue Cloves, I will buy a bunch from you. I have Blue Cloves in my tank and pretty much consider them pests... Tried everything to get rid of them and haven't been able to!

Higor

 

[sutton6989]

My asteria stars ate some of my zoas and mostly mt coraline algea... harliquin shrimp took care of that

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[frank180reef]

Next time you come by I can give you a frag for free

 

[saltwaterB]

I was going to say...unless you are doing a softy tank...be happy they are gone..as within a year or two they tend to cover the rockwork and choke out other corals...we stopped bringing them in as they were pretty much considered pests by many reefers years ago...
I tried keeping some on a small rock island...but they somehow spread to the main rockwork...had to break the tank apart and get new rock...I wont do that in a customers tank again...lol

 

[P-Nut]

They are so small...glue a frag over them. What corals do you keep that can't deal with a blue polyp that is less than 1/8"?

 

[jselzler1]

Well the blue cloves look completely gone. Blue legged hermits took care of what was left. Not unhappy about that.

The ponape birdsnest I got from sutton6988 bleached. It was the fastest growing sps I had so this makes me unhappy.

My rbta moved locations and looked unhappy yesterday. It doesnt look too bad today. Everything else is unaffected.

I still don't know cause. Polyfilter hasnt changed any color. Maybe something on my hands got into tabk? Doing second water change since the incident tomorrow.

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[saltwaterB]

They are so small...glue a frag over them. What corals do you keep that can't deal with a blue polyp that is less than 1/8"?

I have had them grow right over SPS...The Tiny Blue Cloves can become a plague...just like GSP and Xenia/Anthelia

 

[jdeb101]

I have a mostly softy/LPS tank and thought they would look cool filling in all the voids between coral on my LR. Unfortunately nothing ever goes as planned and instead they like to grow across my sand bed! wth! lol Oh and they also started growing on my candcane trunks and clam shell!

 

[rnyce]

I have a major problem with asteria stars. I swear they ate all mine zoos too and i think they went after my toadstools.
I keep plucking them out of the tank. Hope to get a shrimp soon to take care of them.
I have hundreds of them.

 

[SteveDola]

I have had them grow right over SPS...The Tiny Blue Cloves can become a plague...just like GSP and Xenia/Anthelia

B is spot on with these...eventually you will lament the day you put any type of these corals in your tank. GSP/Blue Cloves/Xenia/certain palys all will grow at astronomical rates and smother all corals in its path. Trust me...I just had to tear down my rock because there was no winning that battle. Once they get to a certain point theres no stopping them.

 

[SteveDola]

my experience with asterina stars is that they scavenge and eat polyps especially if the zoas are slightly stressed (say from fraggin or being in a new tank). I pick them out when I can. They wont destroy an entire colony of zoas but if you get a frag of only a few Id be carefully monitoring that frag for star.

 

[P-Nut]

I have a major problem with asteria stars. I swear they ate all mine zoos too and i think they went after my toadstools.
I keep plucking them out of the tank. Hope to get a shrimp soon to take care of them.
I have hundreds of them.

Can I stop by and take 50-200 put of your tank?

I just need one hour. My Harlequin shrimps love them.