Clove Polyps

Rainbow Clove Polyps are a fast growing form of soft coral similar to Pipe Organ and Xenia corals. They are also sometimes referred to as Eight Tentacle Polyps or Encrusting Polyps. They are a colonial coral with multiple heads connected by a fleshy network of tubes. Like most soft corals, they reproduce by budding rather than by splitting. The polyps can reach heights of 2-3” and the heads are generally ½” to ¾” across. There are many different colour morphs available in the hobby
with the most sought after being the Rainbow colouration which consists of a green mouth with blue and orange fringes.

Rainbow Clove Polyps are generally found in the Indo-Pacific region in a variety of reef environments. While some specimens are wild harvested, much of what is available in the aquarium hobby is aquacultured. In fact, here at Fragbox we grow our own Rainbow Clove Polyps in house, thus eliminating the need to import them. In a home tank all varieties of Clove Polyps do best when placed in the bottom third of the tank. Frags should also be mounted as close to vertical as possible. Since Clove Polyps can be somewhat hard to remove from the rockwork, it is generally a good idea to place them on a rock island on the substrate to prevent them from overtaking the main rockwork. Rainbow Clove Polyps require a moderate amount of light and flow. If the polyps remain retracted it could be an indication that the coral is receiving too much light. Flow should be sufficient to prevent the build up of detritus and the coral should sway gently. Too much flow will cause the polyps to retract. Rainbow Clove Polyps are photosynthetic and reef tank lighting should be sufficient to meet their energy needs. They can be target fed foods such as Reef Roids but this is generally not necessary. They are slower growing than Xenia or Pipe Organ corals, but can be fragged in the same way. A small piece can be cut from the colony and glued to a frag plug or piece of rubble rock. It will then attach itself and begin to grow into a new colony.