Pectina: "Space Invader" earning it's name, and it's a problem...

[SkinnyMcGinny]

Hello Reefers! This is my first start of a thread on R2R and I hope I'm doing it correctly.

I have a 285 gallon, mixed reef. About 60 different corals, SPS, LPS, softies, etc., and about 15 fish, all doing well for a couple of years (finally! yay!). Actually, I'm in that ironic place now where my biggest problem is coral colonies have grown enough to start fighting and taking each other out.

The coral that that most concerns me is my Pectinia/a.k.a space invader. When fully inflated under the lights I'd guess it's 7-inches in diameter, and when I come down at night and shine a flashlight in the tank, it's putting out stinging tentacles that are LONG, one is probably 10-inches. So, EVERYTHING down current gets toasted, and I have a big bare spot on my reef where my Pectinia has killed some nice corals (an acan, a few acros, and right now a chalice is getting the worst of it).

Aside from removing the Pectinia (I'd rather not, and am not sure I even could), I wonder if it would be possible to come down at night, when those stinging tentacles are out and long -- and snip them off with some scissors?! Would they quickly grow back? Would the coral care?

Anyway, this is my first post -- please be kind!

 

[MasterBacon]

First off, welcome to the Club! Someone who is more knowledgeable than me will be bye soon to help you with this situation!

 

[MasterBacon]

A full tank shot will help!

 

[SkinnyMcGinny]

A full tank shot will help!

Not quite sure how to do that.

 

[MasterBacon]

Not quite sure how to do that.

take a picture and use the image button about...…………….here beside smiley face in the tabs inside reply

 

[WV Reefer]

Hello Reefers! This is my first start of a thread on R2R and I hope I'm doing it correctly.

I have a 285 gallon, mixed reef. About 60 different corals, SPS, LPS, softies, etc., and about 15 fish, all doing well for a couple of years (finally! yay!). Actually, I'm in that ironic place now where my biggest problem is coral colonies have grown enough to start fighting and taking each other out.

The coral that that most concerns me is my Pectinia/a.k.a space invader. When fully inflated under the lights I'd guess it's 7-inches in diameter, and when I come down at night and shine a flashlight in the tank, it's putting out stinging tentacles that are LONG, one is probably 10-inches. So, EVERYTHING down current gets toasted, and I have a big bare spot on my reef where my Pectinia has killed some nice corals (an acan, a few acros, and right now a chalice is getting the worst of it).

Aside from removing the Pectinia (I'd rather not, and am not sure I even could), I wonder if it would be possible to come down at night, when those stinging tentacles are out and long -- and snip them off with some scissors?! Would they quickly grow back? Would the coral care?

Anyway, this is my first post -- please be kind!

I hope you are joking.......You cannot cut off stinging tentacles. Pectinia is a mean coral ......either get rid of it or deal with the space issue.

 

[reef lover]

Be nice peeps....
Welcome to r2r!! I wouldnt cut the tentacles that will harm it.i would instead frag the pectina or relocate it.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Hello Reefers! This is my first start of a thread on R2R and I hope I'm doing it correctly.

I have a 285 gallon, mixed reef. About 60 different corals, SPS, LPS, softies, etc., and about 15 fish, all doing well for a couple of years (finally! yay!). Actually, I'm in that ironic place now where my biggest problem is coral colonies have grown enough to start fighting and taking each other out.

The coral that that most concerns me is my Pectinia/a.k.a space invader. When fully inflated under the lights I'd guess it's 7-inches in diameter, and when I come down at night and shine a flashlight in the tank, it's putting out stinging tentacles that are LONG, one is probably 10-inches. So, EVERYTHING down current gets toasted, and I have a big bare spot on my reef where my Pectinia has killed some nice corals (an acan, a few acros, and right now a chalice is getting the worst of it).

Aside from removing the Pectinia (I'd rather not, and am not sure I even could), I wonder if it would be possible to come down at night, when those stinging tentacles are out and long -- and snip them off with some scissors?! Would they quickly grow back? Would the coral care?

Anyway, this is my first post -- please be kind!

Welcome to R2R!

I would not cut the sweeper tentacles. It could possibly cause serious injury to the coral and, at best, it's a temporary solution as they will regrow quickly. This is unfortunately a coral that will use long stinging sweepers on neighbors and can do alot of damage to what they touch. Pectinia is just an aggressive type of coral much like galaxea.

Some possible fixes are to block the sweepers by placing rocks strategically around the colony. Another would be to move the coral far off by itself to isolate it (I always do this with galaxea, pectinia, and hydnophora as they are all extremely aggressive). A last thing you could try is making sure the flow pushes the sweepers away from the neighbors (ALthough this will likely only be a temporary fix as the sweepers can get EXTREMELY long). If all of these fail to be adequate options your left with either removing the coral or just accepting that it's going to damage corals around it. Hopefully it doesn't come to those last options, though. Space Invader is an awesome coral but does take some planning when deciding on your layout to really give it the space it needs.

Hope this helps!
Good Luck!

 

[SkinnyMcGinny]

Thanks folks. I might try to move it.

 

[nano reef]

I was just about to buy one! Its on sale and always loved them, so glad I saw this as I had no idea. I just bought a uc ghostbuster pectina but its very tiny, one reason keeps cracking and breaking off. Its not very colorful like space invaders but I bid on it because I love pectinas and I got it for 24 bucks. I noticed the space invader is standing up on the frag plate and the ghostbusters in laying on its back, looks like a chalice but with spiked edges. I think somehow the dip ate away some of the flesh and did that to with a hydnophora. It totally died within a week, just as well. I only paid 5 bucks and read how agressive it is and only bought it because of the price!