blue clove polyps

[jkef2010]

Does anyone know of any good websites or local stores in Maryland where I can get a nice frag of Blue Clove Polyps?

 

[RichieT]

Before you do an exhaustive search for someone willing to sell you a frag research some of the blue clove horror stories out there. From personal experience, once you have them in your tank you are never getting rid of them completely. I had them growing up the stalks of zoas and ruining entire colonies. Maybe you know what you are in for but if not be forewarned.

 

[ladyreefer1983]

i consider it a pest...like what the above said,,,it will grow over zoas...hard to get rid...will grow on anything and anywhere...

 

[Jay6363]

Jeez why didn't I see these posts before I put those in my tank lol

Figures right ...... They are right they take over

 

[ColaAddict]

Blue Cloves are the Devil!
If you are gonna have em, keep them isolated in their own island / small rocks.

 

[Reefltx]

Blue Cloves are the Devil!
If you are gonna have em, keep them isolated in their own island / small rocks.

I don't think you can isolate them, once they start to thrive its game over you'll see them pop up everywhere in your tank.

 

[patrickreef]

Hey I am in Maryland and have a lot of them in my tank and if you wanted a small rock with them on it you could have them but I agree with the others If I had my choice I would eradicate all of them as they do grow over my zoas and palys and effect their health. They are pretty but they do spread fast and overrun zoas.

 

[jkef2010]

I see where you all are coming from the only the only thing in my tank are a small gsp and xenia i will do some further investigating prior to introducing them in the tank.

 

[patrickreef]

I have green star polyps and have had xenia and they do not grow over either of those. They are also fine with LPS and SPS corals the only issue I have had is them growing on the zoas and hindering them from spreading and growing. If you don't plan on keeping zoas then I think they are a nice addition.

Aside does anyone have a good solution to detaching them from zoas?

 

[RichieT]

You have to tweeze or scrape them off zoas. They might not grow on Lps but they will grow right next to the tissue and cause irritation. Same with sps.

 

[cota472]

I had gotten some a while back from a local reefer named patty, several months later I realized why the locals called it patty's plague.

 

[rich850]

I have been trying to kill mine off for a couple years now ...if only I could find fluke tabs

 

[ritter6788]

They might not grow on Lps but they will grow right next to the tissue and cause irritation. Same with sps.

This^^^

They can also "nuke" themselves and wipe out a whole sps colony. I had it happen several times in my tank. They are the most invasive coral IMO.

 

[afamousjohnson]

Ya they stink. I w as on the search for ground cover and not only introduced these buggers but another type that look the same but different colors and both have caused problems. I don't have my lime in the sky anymore due to their overtaking.

 

[redtop03]

I would rather have aiptasia in my tank than these dang things, they've taken over my tank....

I though that small rock that was covered in these demons was so nice looking, worst mistake I ever made was putting it in my tank, you can't isolate them either, they will spread and grow on anything not moving, they've even spread to my fuge tank from my display....

they're smothering some of my zoas out and covering just about ever inch of exposed rock...even my anemones sting ain't slowing it down

 

[ladyreefer1983]

u cannot isolate them,they release small ball like stuff which i believe what its doing is spawning....next thing u knew they are everywhere...

 

[ritter6788]

u cannot isolate them,they release small ball like stuff which i believe what its doing is spawning....next thing u knew they are everywhere...

Yep. They are brooders that release free swimming larvae. They can end up in your sump even.

 

[ColaAddict]

Now I'm curious how these things are controlled in nature

 

[ritter6788]

Now I'm curious how these things are controlled in nature

A couple of years ago there was a pic on the net if you Googled "Sansibia". It was a section of ocean completely covered in it. It dominates large areas of reef in the ocean.