Dead polyps?

So I got a 40 gal breeder last wednesday.. and It came with a lot of LR and the water that it was in. some of the rock of had corals on it some star polyps and button polyps and some kind of SPS coral. when it got all set up I had no choice but to put the corals in the tank while it cycles since they were on the rock. But anyways there is this one rock that is covered in polyps, They haven't opened up at all since I have got the rock. they are in the tank and they have been up by the light the smaller piece covered in star polyps are all opening up. I noticed today that the top of the polyps are turning a bit dead, I don't know how to tell tho..? I want to piece of rock but I don't want all the polyps on it so how can I get them off without damaging the rock, boil it? bake it..? Idk. I'll post a pic to help determine weather or not they are dead..

 

Bleach it!

 

you can just scrape them off, peel like an orange!

 

With like straight bleach?? I want to put the rock back into my tank will it harm anything if I bleach it?

 

it would be fine just leave it out of the tank couple days and let it completely dry and it will be good, you could also rinse it off before hand after you bleach it if you want.


and yeah reg bleach is ok

 

Ooh you might want to try peeling them off if you need to get it back in quickly. If not do a 1:2 bleach water solution and let it soak for a couple hours. After that put it in some fresh tap water with dechlorinator and let that soak for about a day. Then let it dry and it should be safe to put back in without even causing much of a spike.

One more option that might be worth thinking about. Cover the coral you don't want in two part epoxy.

 

Okay thanks do the polyps look dead ? I don't want to kill them, they just haven't opened yet so I figured they were gone.

 

where are they placed in the tank such as close to a powerhead or up high close to the top of the tank? this could cause them not to open because didnt you say your lighting was 6x36 watt t5? Also what are your tank parameters that could cause them not too also.

 

be careful if you decide to boil it! There is a story of a guy who boiled his LR with zoas, the palytoxin in the zoas volatalized and he had a severe reaction, ended up in the hospital. PLoS ONE: Palytoxin Found in Palythoa sp. Zoanthids (Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) Sold in the Home Aquarium Trade

Take the rock out and smell it...if the polyps are rotting you will be able to tell.

 

STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are not dead, they are star polyps. They go through stages, especially after moving them. The brown on it, is just build up, from lack of current. Have one of the power heads directed onto it to blow off the build up. It should start opening up in a couple days or so.. Trust me!