Green Star Polyps for the Tropical Marine Tank
Great, Hardy Colorful Coral for Novice Tropical Saltwater Aquarists
In the subfamily Tubiporidae (think “tube” or “pipe” as in the popular organ-pipe coral, Tubipora spp.), there is a hardy, attractive, Pacific genera of coral commonly called “star polyps” that could be on every beginning reef aquarist's list. Star polyps—also commonly referred to as “green star polyps” or “daisy polyps”—belong to the genera Pachyclavularia (probably synonymous with Briareum). There are several species that regularly make their way into the marine aquarium trade, but one of the most desirable is P. viridis.
The Green Star Polyp
P. viridis is the green star polyp. Easy to identify, the polyps are affixed to a rubbery mat-like substance. This mat is purple, while the polyps themselves are bright fluorescent green with white or pale green centers. The polyps can retract into the mat. Green star polyps are sometimes misidentified and sold as Clavularia spp. (Clavularia is a separate genus commonly called glove or glove polyps).
Green star polyps are frequently sold on a small piece of rock and can usually be purchased for under $20. Once established in the aquarium, green star polyps will rapidly spread and encrust other nearby live rock, sand or the tank walls (and the tank bottom in a bare bottom system). Green star polyps spread so quickly, in fact, that some aquarists consider them to be “nuisance coral.” In truth, it is easy to keep this coral's growth in check through advance planning and regular pruning.
Remarkably Tolerant, Starter Coral (with Care)
In terms of aquarium conditions, green star polyps are remarkably tolerant of varying light and flow conditions. It is, however, important to keep a few things in mind:
- First, while light tolerant, green star polyps can be easily shocked by moving them from a low light situation (at the local fish store, for example) to a high light situation (like a reef tank under metal halides). Light shock can be avoided by first placing the newly acquired green star polyps on the aquarium bottom and then gradually moving it up to a higher place in the aquarium. It is also possible to use layers of plastic screening between the lights and the surface of the water to shade the green star polyps and gradually expose them to higher light levels (by removing one screen at a time over a period of days).
- Second, while the green star polyps may do well in a lower flow situation, they can still fall prey to detritus build-up and nuisance algae growth. To avoid this, the aquarist simply uses a turkey baster or small powerhead to carefully blow accumulated detritus from the mat.
Green Star Polyp Compatibility
The only other major consideration with green star polyps is their compatibility with other coral. While they lack the stinging cells and sweeper tentacles other corals use for both offence and defense, green star polyps can readily overtake adjacent coral specimens if not kept in check. They effectively compete for space by encrusting neighboring corals and overgrowing them. It is essential to give them adequate space and prune them regularly.
In addition to competing by way of overgrowing, green star polyps emit terpenoid compounds for both protection from predation and competition with other corals. In essence, this is a type of chemical warfare that can prove devastating to many other coral species in the aquarium, especially to stony corals. To avoid problems, the novice aquarist may consider only housing soft corals (as opposed to stony corals) in a tank with green star polyps and running chemical filtration such as charcoal in a substrate reactor.
Star Polyps
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