Green Star Polyps? How Peel Off?

[riemannp]

First of all, what are these? Three polyps came with some live rock I bought about 10 months ago. Now I have ten-twelve polyps ... and they're expanding too far.

I'd like to offer to others, or sale, but can't figure out how to peel them off. I tried an exactor knife, but this seemed to tear the tissue into shreds.

Any feedback out there? Thanks in advance,

riemannp

 

[Damsel13]

I think those are hairy mushrooms but I don't know how to remove them. Sorry

 

[mfinn]

Yep hairy mushrooms.
I would try using a 1" to 1-1/2" wide wood chisel and hammer. Aim the chisel near the base of the mushroom, about 1' away and down at a 45 degree angle. Make sure you have the rock on a firm surface and give the chisel a couple good whacks.
The rock may break up more than you wanted, but sometimes it just happens that way.

 

[ronj]

i just inject them with Kalk... i find stray mushroom all the time..it will pretty much just melt them.. you may have to hit them a day or two later, but that will take care of them

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Ron, these are better mushrooms than most, and are worth the effort to remove and trade/sell

 

[ronj]

i don't like having any mushrooms in my main tank...i guess if you want to try to salvage them you could try turning the rock upside down so that they hang a bit with their "stalks" extended..then cut them with a sharp pair of scissors or razor blade

 

[mmkeeper]

Sell or trade the rock, retail price for those is about $10 per polyp

 

[riemannp]

Thanks to all for your feedbac,

Wow, the hammer and chisel option is the goofying thing I think I've ever heard! That quite funny!

So I have "Green Hairy Mushroom". If anybody knows a more formal name, or alternative name, let me know.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[mfinn]

You may think it's goofy, but I've done it for many years on all different types of corals, and I know many other people who do the same thing. It is a very effective way of getting a coral off a rock without tearing into the flesh of the coral.
The idea is to get just a small piece of the rock with the coral. Makes trading and selling something more appealing to the buyer, instead of just a free floating mushroom, zoanthid, leather coral, that can float off to a waiting powerhead or overflow or just get lost behind your rock work.
Cheap chisels can be had at harbor freight.

If you say Green Hairy Mushroom,,, most people will know exactly what you have,,,, for lack of a "formal" name.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=665