How long do bailed polyps live?

Doctorgori · Jan 19, 2022

I just had some 3-5 yr old multi head hammers, frogspawns, et bail out on me…can’t find a cause and did not seek psychological counseling following this loss…I’ll spare you the depressing skeletal pics but will supply on request for those silos out here….

Anyway, that was almost 3weeks ago and the dang heads are still live floating heads … anyone know how long can they live?

vetteguy53081 · Jan 19, 2022

Once in-a blue moon, one will attach itself. Most 3-4 weeks before they start to wilt. They can thrive when there is proper light to produce zooxanthellae and proper flow

Doctorgori · Jan 19, 2022

don’t call me Frankenstein but I swear I’m considering superglue…..he he, could be a first lol:p

Sarlindescent · Jan 20, 2022

It really just depends. I had a bad salt mix that caused a bailout on all my euphyllia and all died within 48 hours. In another situation, I was fragging a hammer (for the first time) with bone cutters... The skeleton exploded and I had polyps with no skeleton, a couple polyps attached to a sliver of skeleton, and a head with skeleton broken into 4 pieces. they all survived. The no skeleton rebuilt from scratch. The one with 4 pieces of skeleton, self separated. Thought I had blown it up for good, but you never know.

If they look healthy, I would let it ride. if it looks like they are starting to deflate to nothing or BJD, I would siphon them instead of risking other coral.

Doctorgori · Feb 20, 2022

@Sarlindescent & @vetteguy53081
thanks and a here is a update …seems a few more are alive but under same rock …. these were several years old so fingers crossed

vetteguy53081 · Feb 20, 2022

Doctorgori said:
@Sarlindescent & @vetteguy53081
thanks and a here is a update …seems a few more are alive but under same rock …. these were several years old so fingers crossed

They generally dont. Ive seen RARE cases where they clung to a rock or similar surface for a few short month, but often they get blown around and wilt to nothing