Wade Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 (edited) My encrusting green gorgonian is sprouting some little pink polyps. There's also a long shoot that looks like a root, for lack of a better description, coming off from it that also has a few of these little pink polyps on it. Are these part of the gorgonian or something else? it's hard to see them on the gorgonian itself (in the picture), but they're pretty clear on the offshoot. Dang, the pictures appear to be upside down. Lovely. Edited September 17, 2013 by Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Green star polyp, the pink flesh is how it grows and extends its mat. Careful what you let it grow onto, it can be invasive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Reefer Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Possibly strands from Vermetid Gastropods. i know I have them in a GSP, if it is it is usually harmless although it can irritate some corals. Touch the GSP and when it retracts in the area where thre strand comes from do you see something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Hmmmmm. I thought this was an encrusting gorgonian when I bought it. I have it on my overflow box and have no problem with it spreading all over that, but will it release polyps to attach all over the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 definitely GSP, it will only grow by encroaching, won't drop pods off like bcp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 ok, good deal. I see the pink flesh spreading out and knew what that was, but didn't know about the little pink mushroom things. Alrighty then. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 . . . I thought this was an encrusting gorgonian when I bought it. . . You did. One of the problems of having multiple common names, egos, marketing and changing or uncertain taxonomy. Get used to it. Delbeek and Sprung discuss the confusion in "The Reef Aquarium" Vol II. There are two species in the genus Briareum, B violaia and B. asbestenium and are commonly called Green Star Polyp and currently are lumped in with the gorgonians. Because of their encrusting behaviour they get called encrusting gorgonians. The genus Pachyclavularia which is often used for some variants is a considered by most as a synonym for Briarium. To add to the confusion Pachyclavularia has been put in the Tubiporidae (pipe organ corals) family so expect somebody to try to change things again sooner or later. There are many variants ranging in color from brown to yellow to green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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