Do all clove polyps spread as uncontrollably as the blue ones?

[kdx7214]

I've had terrible luck with SPS, so may look into more softies. I avoid leathers and the like because they are mostly all brown and I want some color. I have some GSP on the back glass of the tank and it looks great. I've seen some types of clove polyps that are gorgeous but have also read how fast they take over the tank. Do all of the clove polyps do this or are there any "safe" ones?

 

[blecki]

I wish. Like everything else the prettier they are the slower they grow.

 

[kdx7214]

I wish. Like everything else the prettier they are the slower they grow.

Are you saying that all of them grow that rapidly, or that the really nice looking ones are slow growers? Sorry, not 100% sure on that

 

[blecki]

IME the best looking ones are the fireworks cloves and they only seem to do one of two things depending on the tank:

Grow everywhere

Die.

 

[kdx7214]

IME the best looking ones are the fireworks cloves and they only seem to do one of two things depending on the tank:

Grow everywhere

Die.

Darn. That's the kind I was looking at. I was hoping to put some on the back glass on the other side of the overflow from the GSP for some contrast. Oh well, on to look at other softies. Thanks

 

[Katrina71]

Branching gsp is easy to control with a trim

 

[besskurz]

IMO cloves are like xenia.
Or they grow, or they die.

My story with Fireworks cloves.
Started like this in last June:

I got them from riptide.

Now after 8 months:

They grew over 3 frag plugs, I sold them, put another 3 frags back there and they never stop growing.

Compared to the zoas there:
1 polyp - now 4
4 polyps- now 10ish

I just respectfully disagree about the leathers. They can be very colorful.
My toadstool is the ccenter piece of the aquarium.
July 2022:

Jan 24

I like them.

 

[kdx7214]

Branching gsp is easy to control with a trim

Fortunately I've had zero problem with my GSP on the back glass. It doesn't seem to spread onto the rocks (I kept them about 2" from the glass) and it can't seem to grow over 90 degree turns... or at least it hasn't yet.

 

[kdx7214]

IMO cloves are like xenia.
Or they grow, or they die.

My story with Fireworks cloves.
Started like this in last June:

I got them from riptide.

Now after 8 months:

They grew over 3 frag plugs, I sold them, put another 3 frags back there and they never stop growing.

Compared to the zoas there:
1 polyp - now 4
4 polyps- now 10ish

I just respectfully disagree about the leathers. They can be very colorful.
My toadstool is the ccenter piece of the aquarium.
July 2022:

Jan 24

I like them.

I've never seen leather corals that colorful before. All the LFS I've been to only had brown ones and they're just ugly. I've tried zoas twice now. The first colony completely died for unknown reasons. The second colony partially died (or was eaten by an emerald crab) but part of it is still alive albeit only 3-4 polyps. I was hoping to put some clove polyps on the back wall for a nice display. I wonder if zoas would grow vertically. Hmm.

 

[mfinn]

My Fireworks clove polyps spread over just about anything they want.