Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Green Star Polyps & Organ Pipe Coral

 Pachyclavularia (Briareum) violacea (Green Star Polyps, Starburst Polyps)

Pachyclavularia (Briareum) violacea
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)

Green Star Polyps, Starburst Polyps

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

More

These two species in the Family Tubiporidae are of great interest to those keeping reef aquariums. As for Green Star Polyps, they have often been described as Clavalaria viridis in aquarium books and also commonly in the trade. Other technical descriptions have been Pachyclavularia violacea, or Briareum violacea. Which is correct, is still somewhat undecided. Nevertheless, it's an excellent encrusting species, and often found in the trade.

As for Organ Pipe Coral, a soft coral, its flower-like eight tentacles of white to pink polyps extend from a cluster of red calcareous tubes interconnected by horizontal plates. This photosynthetic coral does well under metal halides, however in nature is found in some shaded areas. It has been long thought only one species exists, however, Sprung & Delbeek (1997) and more recently Vincent Hargreaves (2003) are of the opinion three or four species exist. Both of these soft corals are show below.


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