Secret to clove polyps?

[Thumbster]

Just wondering what the secret is to growing clove polyps?

I’ve had them for about two months and they’ve been gradually declining since I got them.

Started out with a dozen healthy stalks, lost about half of those on day two after a dip in peroxide and bayer. Put them in about 75 par with some moderate flow for a month. Still declined so I moved them to 120 par and no change.

I’ve got lps, sps, toadstool, Yuma mushroom and zoas that are growing fine. My orange setosa, mushroom and toadstool have doubled in size in the past couple months.

I haven’t had any major swings and parameters have been stable. I was dosing Esv 2 part, Kalk and a shot of mag occasionally but have been trying all for reef over the past few weeks. I can’t see anything bothering them so I’m at a loss.

Any suggestions appreciated. I’ll post a pic of parameters and the victim.

 

[shwareefer]

Ya, mine are kind of in a holding pattern but originally grew fast. I used to dose iodine but don't really bother anymore, maybe that's a factor.

 

[tzabor10]

Same here. I thought that my Foxface was snacking on them. Are there any grazers in your aquarium?

 

[Jmp998]

I know these are supposed to be simple beginner corals, but I like them and tried and failed a few times with them over the years. What made the difference for me, as far as I can tell, is dosing phytoplankton. When I do my morning feeding and add phyto, I dump the phyto as close as I can to the clove polyps and now they grow so well I often have to trim them back.

 

[Mark Goode]

Me too. Though I know my singapore angel is munching on them, because I've caught the little sod red handed.

 

[mfinn]

Started out with a dozen healthy stalks, lost about half of those on day two after a dip in peroxide and bayer. Put them in about 75 par with some moderate flow for a month. Still declined so I moved them to 120 par and no change.

I think maybe this is a clue

 

[Thumbster]

Same here. I thought that my Foxface was snacking on them. Are there any grazers in your aquarium?

Nope. Just two clowns along with 5 nassarius snails, 5 astrea snails, 500 baby stomatella snails and probably half that many baby Trochus snails.

 

[Thumbster]

I know these are supposed to be simple beginner corals, but I like them and tried and failed a few times with them over the years. What made the difference for me, as far as I can tell, is dosing phytoplankton. When I do my morning feeding and add phyto, I dump the phyto as close as I can to the clove polyps and now they grow so well I often have to trim them back.

I may try it and see how it goes.

 

[Thumbster]

I think maybe this is a clue

A clue to what exactly?

 

[tzabor10]

A clue to what exactly?

The Bayer and peroxide. Some reefers(me included) feel that too many chemicals are detrimental. We are trying to achieve a more natural balance. It’s your choice though. I hope it works out well for you

 

[mfinn]

A clue to what exactly?

You had 12 healthy polyps to start with. You did a peroxide dip, then 2 days later half were gone and and declining.

 

[Kasrift]

Nope. Just two clowns along with 5 nassarius snails, 5 astrea snails, 500 baby stomatella snails and probably half that many baby Trochus snails.

Only 500 baby stomatellas? I stopped counting after 200 something…

Anyways on topic, I have a just gold colored one that did the same thing as yours. The rainbow (green center with orange “leaves”) did better.

 

[Derrick0580]

When i daily dosed lugols my zoas grew like gang busters, but soo did algae….

 

[Thumbster]

You had 12 healthy polyps to start with. You did a peroxide dip, then 2 days later half were gone and and declining.

Oh okay. Yes they obviously didn’t do well with that….four months ago (I thought I’d only had them two but just checked my records). I would have thought they would be over that by now.
Here they are on June 7th a couple days after the dip.

 

[Thumbster]

Only 500 baby stomatellas? I stopped counting after 200 something…

Anyways on topic, I have a just gold colored one that did the same thing as yours. The rainbow (green center with orange “leaves”) did better.

I may have overstated my numbers. Although it is possible that there are more than that lol.
I haven’t tried to count but the snails sure like my tank.

I may try a different clove polyp just to see how it does. Maybe squirt some phyto in there also.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Could be coral eating nudibranchs, there is a species that only eats clove polyps

 

[RedReefer]

Nope. Just two clowns along with 5 nassarius snails, 5 astrea snails, 500 baby stomatella snails and probably half that many baby Trochus snails.

500 baby stomatellas, I'm jealous!

 

[ninjamyst]

I threw some on the sand bed and they won't stop growing. Key to success is lots of flow and lots of nutrients. I have frags from the same colony in my frag tank and they barely grow and starts to decline just like your photo. Difference is frag tank is running on barely any flow and 0 nitrates and phosphates while my display tank has crazy amount of flow and very high nutrients from 30+ fish.

 

[Thumbster]

I threw some on the sand bed and they won't stop growing. Key to success is lots of flow and lots of nutrients. I have frags from the same colony in my frag tank and they barely grow and starts to decline just like your photo. Difference is frag tank is running on barely any flow and 0 nitrates and phosphates while my display tank has crazy amount of flow and very high nutrients from 30+ fish.

My flow is probably good. Nutrients are probably my culprit. Thanks!