Cespitularia are one of the more difficult to find soft corals in the hobby. They are similar to Xenia and the blue Cespitularia are often referred to as Blue Xenia. They are generally available in blue or purple colour morphs. Long elegant polyps sprout from a central stalk and will add beautiful movement to an aquarium. Because it grows from a central stalk rather than spreading like Xenia, they are less likely to grow out of control.
Cespitularia are found off the topical west coast of Africa and the Australian Great Barrier Reef. However, their speed of growth and the fact that they grow at relatively deep depths, means that they are actively aquacultured as well. In a home aquarium they can be placed almost anywhere except very high light areas at the top of the tank. They cannot be glued directly to the rock but there are various options to attach them to rockwork. One way is to place the coral stem in a crevice in the rockwork and allow it to attach itself naturally. Another method is to encourage the coral to attach itself to a frag plug or rubble rock and then glue it directly.
Like Xenia, Cespitularia are adaptable to a wide variety of light levels and flow. They will do well with almost any level of lighting or flow except for extremely intense lighting and extreme flow. Flow should be sufficient to cause the coral to sway gently but not so intense that it is blown around violently. Moderate flow will also keep the coral free of detritus and deliver food. Cespitularia are photosynthetic and can meet all of their energy needs through the tank’s lighting. They can be fed food designed for filter feeders if desired, but this usually is not necessary. They will grow fast with or without feeding.
Like other similar soft corals, Cespitularia can be fragged by simply cutting a piece off. Since the newly fragged coral cannot be glued to a plug it needs to be placed in a low flow area with a frag plug or piece of rubble rock and allowed to naturally attach. Some hobbyists will use elastic bands to hold the frag in place until it attaches.
For a hobbyist looking for a unique soft coral to add movement to their tank the Cespitularia makes an excellent, if somewhat rare, choice.