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Home > Corals > Polyps > Starburst Polyp
Starburst Polyp (Briareum sp.)
Starburst Polyp
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Starburst Polyp (Briareum sp.)
Additional locales and sizes may be available!
Additional locales and sizes may be available!

Quick Stats

Care Level Easy
Temperament Peaceful
Color Form Green
Water Conditions sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4
Family Briareidae
Lighting Moderate to High
Supplements Iodine, Trace Elements
Waterflow Medium to Strong
Placement Middle to Top
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information
Care Level Easy
Temperament Peaceful
Color Form Green
Water Conditions sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4
Family Briareidae
Lighting Moderate to High
Supplements Iodine, Trace Elements
Waterflow Medium to Strong
Placement Middle to Top
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information

Overview

Starburst Polyps are also referred to as Star, Eight Tentacle, Mat, or Daisy Polyps. Previously green specimens have been called Clavularia viridis; however, they are now identified as a Briareium sp. They have the distinctive eight-leaved tentacles on each polyp. They are colonial animals with several individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock.

Accurately described as an encrusting coral, Starburst Polyps rapidly grow over adjacent rock work, coral, or even the glass of an established reef aquarium. They are a peaceful coral armed with the defensive capability of being able to retract or deflate each of their polyps in response to predation. They will not harm other corals that are placed close to their colony, but are susceptible to being damaged by any aggressive corals in the reef aquarium. They are easy to maintain in the reef aquarium and make an excellent candidate for the beginning through expert reef aquarist. They require a medium to high light level combined with a medium to strong water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.

The experienced hobbyist cultures the colony by taking a cutting from their encrusting base. The cutting is then glued to a hard substrate such as a rock or dead coral head.

The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within their bodies provide the majority of their nutritional requirements through photosynthesis. They also benefit from weekly feedings of micro-plankton or foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.

It ships encrusted to a piece of live rock. The branching variety ships encrusted to a piece of branch live rock.

Approximate Purchase Size: Medium: 2-3/4" to 3-1/2"

Customer Testimonials

Brad C Lowell , MA
Beautiful Coral. Easy to care for and very hardy.
David D Albany , NY





I purchased this hardy coral more than a year ago. This coral has survived – even with all my errors in judgment. On one occasion, my salinity levels were very high for over a week. Once I corrected the problem, the polyps quickly recovered, growing back any and all damaged areas. I highly recommend this coral to beginners, as long as you have a good combination of day and actinic lights. You should also provide phytoplankton and iodine supplements for this coral.
Michael Z Antigo , WI
This is a very easy coral to keep. Be careful with it because it tends to grow/ spread very quickly covering rocks and it may sting other corals.
1-3 of 3 testimonials

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