Coral Polyp Question

[Salty Cracker]

Those of you with SPS.  If you see a 'sudden' increase in the length of coral polyps, like noticeable difference, do you think it's a good sign or a bad one.  I mean, does it mean the coral is nice and happy and healthy, or is it starving and hoping to catch more food?

Just wondering, I've got corals that while they've always had good polyp extention, I'm now seeing spaghetti like extension on their main tendrils (?).  Corals seem healthy, but it's all fairly sudden, and I'm seeing it in more than one.  Just curious if it shows a lack or abundance of something.

 

[spyd]

Do you run carbon at all? Sometimes if a coral is stressed, it will release a spaghetti type substance as a defense mechanism. If there are corals that are touching one another, it could cause that. Carbon will reduce the amount of chemical warefare going on in your tank.

When I do water changes and some of the corals are out of the water, they will release that crap. It does no harm to anything really. But, I do run carbon to keep the chemicals under control.

 

[Salty Cracker]

I do run carbon, and no this isn't defensive slime, this is normal polyps, but on steroids. 

 

[phi delt reefer]

i think your sps are telling you that they are uber happy.

the feeding response you are getting is what all of us strive for and seems to only happen when the corals are perfectly happy.  I've seen videos of what Salty Cracker is talking about and I dream my sps will do the same...yes, i have polyp extension envy

 

[Blob-79]

yes, i have polyp extension envy

along with many other types of envy

 

[Salty Cracker]

Well that's cool.  Definitely better than What I was worried about: starving corals reaching for more food.

It's like a bunch of wooly mammoths in there.