Too Much Success: Are There Such Things as “Garbage Coral”?

[InvaderJim]

I'll take GSP any day over those green hairy mushrooms. No matter how hard I try I can't get rid of them

 

[fish farmer]

agree with the first 2. i thought the red mushrooms are great because so much stuff in the reef world is green so its a nice easy contrast

I've been sucking out green and red mushrooms for a couple of years, but recently noticed my reds have developed interesting stripes, I'll keep it for now.

 

[VintageReefer]

GSP shouldn't be sold.

I had overgrown gsp and needed space so I took a 3x3 rock to my LFS to trade in.

If you want credit they will give 75% of what they think they can sell it for. Cash they give 50%

I was expecting to get 10$. They offered me 60$ in credit for it! I was shocked. Dude told me that all the new people and older people want easy coral and he can’t keep it in stock

Look at eBay sold listings. People are buying this left and right

 

[Aquavaj]

I had overgrown gsp and needed space so I took a 3x3 rock to my LFS to trade in.

If you want credit they will give 75% of what they think they can sell it for. Cash they give 50%

I was expecting to get 10$. They offered me 60$ in credit for it! I was shocked. Dude told me that all the new people and older people want easy coral and he can’t keep it in stock

Look at eBay sold listings. People are buying this left and right

Went to a LFS and asked if they have any corals for $20 or under since nothing was labelled. He said he doesn't think so but he'll look. Took me to a tank filled with xenias, gsp and kenya trees. Pointed at kenya tree that was a 1/4" nub and said he'll do that for $20.

 

[VintageReefer]

Went to a LFS and asked if they have any corals for $20 or under since nothing was labelled. He said he doesn't think so but he'll look. Took me to a tank filled with xenias, gsp and kenya trees. Pointed at kenya tree that was a 1/4" nub and said he'll do that for $20.

Wow. What a ripoff. Mine would drop those almost weekly and I’d have to collect and throw out. Never again

 

[mfinn]

Went to a LFS and asked if they have any corals for $20 or under since nothing was labelled. He said he doesn't think so but he'll look. Took me to a tank filled with xenias, gsp and kenya trees. Pointed at kenya tree that was a 1/4" nub and said he'll do that for $20.

At one time I had tons of it that I couldn't give away. Whole pieces as big as 8"-10" tall and as big in diameter.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Mushrooms, Kenya tree. And that metallic green birdsnesty thing

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Garbaporidae Dumpsterpora:

 

[formallydehyde]

I have a Forest Fire-like Montipora digitata that I am constantly accidentally fragging. Every few months my conchs kick a new piece of it out into the open that's somehow still covered in polyps despite falling into the sand in a low light area. I feel bad just leaving them there to get booted around but there's not really any good space to put them in my current tank.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Mushrooms, Kenya tree. And that metallic green birdsnesty thing

Yup, mine grow a lot too. Pocillopora. I give away as much as possible, but this stuff attaches and grows on the glass by itself! Lol.

 

[topjimmy]

Atleast with GSP and xenias you can control their spread if you're careful with isolating them. But things like mushrooms and kenya trees will drop babies and spread all over the tank.

Anemones can get out of control too for some people but they usually get sold pretty easily. Getting them to detach can be a pain though.

I can't tell you how many GBTA I have given away. I am ready to start giving away another batch. I'm hoping that the Colorado Sunburst I have does the same thing.

 

[EricR]

I must suck at reefing 'cause I love GSP and ricordea mushrooms.
They grow well and not hard to deal with when overgrowing the area you want them in.
*I have purposely avoided some of the OTHER common answers here, like other mushrooms, xenia, clove polyps

As someone running a low-effort, very basic setup, all coral growth is welcome by me.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I like having a coral that can do well in a "FOWLR".
Some copper?
Low Salinity?
High Nutrients?
Who cares it will still grow

Exactly! It thrives with my butterflies. In the tank with the large angels and puffers, not so much. They ate a 12"x12" rock covered in GSP in just a few hours...

 

[crazyfishmom]

Let’s see:

Anemones
Kenya trees
Captain Jerk Palys
Pulsing xenia
Purple cespitularia

GSP I’ve managed to keep contained thankfully

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

I'd pick green paly's.
a menace unless marooned on a rock.i bought 1 polyp 14 months ago and it's upto maybe 60 now.cheap pop of colour but I wonder how many newbies place them on main rockwork & end up with a nightmare on their hands.
On the flipside the second fastest growing coral I have is a raja rampage that's growing around an inch per month under 400 par.
An invasive little devil but hopefully profitable

 

[Patx]

Do dino are coral ?
Xenia... or anything that can float and go everywhere!

 

[Naekuh]

I've been sucking out green and red mushrooms for a couple of years, but recently noticed my reds have developed interesting stripes, I'll keep it for now.

Is that a metalic blue discoma?
Do you still have any?

I personally will never put another zoa in a tank of mine. I know they get a lot of love by some reefers but I don't think they look all that great and they just spread over everything lol

I have a Sleeper Dragon Goby that likes to barf sand on top of my Zoa's so they really can't expand out.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

I personally will never put another zoa in a tank of mine. I know they get a lot of love by some reefers but I don't think they look all that great and they just spread over everything lol

This is why I stick to corals like GMK and Stratosphere.

Everyone wants some.

-Matt

 

[fish farmer]

Is that a metalic blue discoma?
Do you still have any?


I have a Sleeper Dragon Goby that likes to barf sand on top of my Zoa's so they really can't expand out.

They are green striped discos.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

The Kenya tree is the one coral I wish I’d never met