Green Star Polyp, or, commonly referred to as GSP coral, is a soft green coral that is considered by many to be a fantastic option for hobbyists just starting out and wanting to add some coral to their aquarium. Out of all the beginner-friendly aquarium coral out there, GSP coral is undoubtedly one of the best choices.
This coral also goes by several different names, known as the starburst polyp, star polyps, and daisy polyps. The GSP coral is an encrusting species that will typically grow on any hard surfaces in your fish tank, such as glass, plastic, rock, and even other coral.
General Information (Requirements and More)
GSP coral will grow under almost all aquarium conditions, they are considered to be a semi-invasive species of coral too, almost reproducing as quickly as some alga. Also, once it starts to grow, there is very little you can actually do to slow it down or stop its growth.
They are incredibly popular with beginner hobbyists as they will fill up any empty spaces in your tank at a rapid rate, whilst adding movement and flow to your aquarium. Additionally, they look pretty awesome too!
GSP Coral Facts and Requirements
- Common name: GSP Coral
- Coral Type: Soft
- Care Level: Beginner
- Origins: Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef
- Predators: Puffers, triggers & general coral pests.
- Temperament: Somewhat aggressive as they will grow over other corals on occasion.
- Lighting: Any
- Water flow: Any
- Placement: Any
- Feeding: They will grow quickly or slowly depending on the nutrients received from light exposure.
- Parameters: Standard saltwater parameters
How To Frag (GSP) Coral
Fortunately for hobbyists that want to create a colony of Green Polyp Coral quickly, you can do it easily! There are a couple of proven methods that will guarantee success when cultivating GSP.
The first method is pretty simple, place some rubble next to the GSP frag colony, and allow the Green Polyp Coral to work its magic, growing over the rubble at a speedy rate. You can then use a sharp knife to detach the new GSP frag from the main colony.
Alternatively, you can detach the coral from the surface and then glue it to a frag plug. GSP coral grows at an excessive rate, meaning that it will recover very quickly from any frag mistakes that are made during the process.
Final Considerations
The Green Coral Polyp coral grows at a rapid rate compared with the majority of other popular corals. Something to look out for is their natural greediness, they will often out-compete other corals for light, nutrients, and space, so be careful when you are deciding where to place your GSP coral.
Additionally, there are other corals you can add to your GSP coral tank that will certainly add even more brightness and variety. The Blastomussa coral is a brilliant accompaniment to the Green Star Polyp Coral and also the Blue Clove Polyps.
The majority of hobbyists that have chosen GSP coral tend to have a location like some live rock ready to place the Green Star Polyp on, or they simply let it grow over the glass of the aquarium. If you decide to let it grow over your aquarium's glass, more maintenance will be required so that you do not have the coral growing over important tank features or distorting your view of the tank.
