Blue and Green Sympodium

The Blue and Green Sympodium (Sympodium sp., family Xeniidae) is a unique, highly sought-after soft coral praised for its tight, star-like polyp structure and vibrant color contrast. Often mistaken for Green Star Polyps (GSP) or Clavularia, this encrusting softie features a distinct blue-grey to steel-blue rubbery mat that produces dense clusters of brilliant 8-pinnate star polyps with metallic teal-green tentacles and glowing centers under blue actinic LEDs.

Coloration: Steel-blue, slate, or cobalt-blue base mat, densely studded with bright metallic neon-green, teal, or mint star-shaped polyps.

Growth Pattern: Encrusting Mat (forms a thick, rubbery stolon layer that sheet-grows over rockwork, frag plugs, and glass without sending out long, invasive runners like GSP). Sold as a frag on a 0.5 – 1 inch frag plug.

Lighting: Low to Moderate (PAR 75–150).

Water Flow: Moderate (Gentle to moderate sweeping current to keep the polyps dancing without blowing them shut).

Feeding: Photosynthetic; responds well to liquid amino acids and micro-particulate reef feeds, though direct target feeding is unnecessary.

Aggressiveness: Peaceful (lacks stinging tentacles; grows steadily over surfaces but easily held back or isolated on rock islands).

Care Level: Easy (Exceptionally hardy, adaptable, and significantly less invasive than Green Star Polyps or Pachyclavularia).