Clavularia

Clavularia, commonly known as clove polyps or glove polyps, are charming mat-forming soft corals with eight-tentacled polyps that resemble tiny flowers or cloves. Each polyp extends on a short stalk from a connecting mat, creating a delicate, garden-like appearance. Place them in the mid-section of your tank under low to moderate PAR (50–150 PAR) with moderate flow — enough to make the feathery polyps sway gently. Standard reef parameters work well: alkalinity 7.5–9 dKH, calcium 400–440 ppm, and temperature 25–27°C. Clavularia are hardy beginner corals that adapt to a range of conditions.

Clavularia spread across rockwork via a connecting stolon mat, gradually colonising adjacent surfaces. Their growth rate is moderate — faster than mushroom corals but slower than GSP or Xenia. They come in attractive colours including greens, pinks, purples, and white, with the feathery tentacles providing a soft, organic texture that contrasts nicely with smoother corals. Clavularia are photosynthetic and do not require target feeding, though they benefit from broadcast feeding with fine phytoplankton or coral foods.

Fragging is simple — cut sections of the mat with attached polyps and glue or rubber-band them to frag plugs. They establish readily and begin spreading within a couple of weeks. Clavularia are peaceful corals that play well with other soft corals, mushrooms, and zoanthids. They are commonly available from Australian coral retailers and frag traders at affordable prices. Their delicate, flower-like appearance makes them an excellent choice for adding fine texture and gentle movement to soft coral gardens.