Can Xenia, GSP or Yellow Polyps spread if on there own rock in sand?

[duganderson]

If you put Xenia, GSP or Yellow Polyps on their own rock on the sandbed, can you prevent there spread easily to other parts of your tank OR do they drop babies or do something else to get to other rocks?

 

[Doctorgori]

GSP can form a mat on glass or anything ….
IME only. more obnoxious galaxea or shrooms keep them at bay “chemically”
….the “island” method can work with diligence

 

[krollins]

Xenia can spread even when isolated.

 

[JNalley]

If you put Xenia, GSP or Yellow Polyps on their own rock on the sandbed, can you prevent there spread easily to other parts of your tank OR do they drop babies or do something else to get to other rocks?

All of the above....

Placing them on their own rock in the sandbed does tend to keep them at bay. But they can drop babies and spread. If you want them, it's a risk you're going to have to take. I personally wouldn't keep Xenia if you paid me to anymore, it was really prolific in one of my past tanks. it started on its own rock, and because I wasn't paying attention (life got busy) for a while, it ended up all over the place. But I have seen many people be successful keeping it on its own rock... GSP will have a harder time "jumping" from an island rock, but it has happened according to other reefers here, and it can also just create a carpet of itself on the sandbed. I am unfamiliar with yellow polyps, but it's likely the same story.