Clove polyp coral question

[cruzersmith]

Every day it seems like there’s a new issue when keeping a reef aquarium. I placed this clove polyp coral on an island because I read that they can take over if not restricted this way. This was a single colony and this is what I discovered today. I was under the impression that they do not self divide or split so just wondering what might have caused this . It’s been in here for 7 months.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

They send out runners like grassy weeds and like grassy weeds once they get established somewhere they're hard to get rid of.

I have some Fireworks Cloves that have traveled about a foot from their original location. That's with me regularly trying to keep them from growing in that direction.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IME mushrooms, zoa's/pally's, and cloves don't really stick to their islands, they can dislodge themselves and float away to grow somewhere else. Even my favia colony on an island regularly spits out polyps to float away. Life finds a way.

 

[cruzersmith]

I really appreciate your responses, but it appears then to be just another reefing problem to contend with. Yay.