Green Star Polyps
Pachyclavularia sp.Blainville, 1834Genus
Bright green polyps that spread over rock surfaces. Extremely hardy and fast-growing. Perfect first coral for beginners.

Names & Synonyms
- CommonGreen Star Polyps
- Commonスターポリプ
- SynonymAsbestia
- SynonymBriarea
- SynonymPachyclavularia
- SynonymSolenopodium
- SynonymVioa
Overview
Star polyps (genera Clavularia, Briareum) are colonial soft corals whose purple-to-brown stolons produce numerous star-shaped white or green polyps across rock surfaces. Native to Indo-Pacific reefs, they spread rapidly as thin mats and are among the hardiest corals for beginners. They thrive under moderate to strong lighting (150–300 PAR) with moderate flow, displaying beautiful fluorescent green coloration when fully open. Their rapid growth demands regular trimming to prevent overgrowing neighboring corals. Fragging is simple—attaching a piece to a new rock surface is sufficient for propagation.
Care Specifications
| Type | Soft coral |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 24〜27℃ |
| Specific gravity | 1.023〜1.025 |
| Salinity | 33〜35 ppt |
| KH (carbonate hardness) | 8〜12 dKH |
| Lighting | Medium |
| Water flow | Medium |
| Placement | Any |
Care Points
- Lighting—Medium to strong LED lighting
- Flow—Moderate flow
- Water Quality—Tolerates some water quality variation
- Growth—Spreads aggressively — can overtake rockwork
- Notes—May overgrow other corals — place isolated
Regulatory & Conservation
- Notes:
- 八放サンゴ(Pachyclavularia/Briareum, Briareidae)=スターポリプ。CITES 非掲載。日本法も非該当。
Sources
- AlgaeBarn: SPS/LPS/soft care(careSpec)
- AlgaeBarn: Water Parameters 101(careSpec)
- DOC NZ / CITES-listed corals(掲載科に Briareidae 含まず)(regulatory)
Related corals of the same type
Antheliaアンセリア(ウェービングハンド)softBeginnerA soft coral whose feathery polyps sway in flow. Similar to Xenia but with larger, always-open polyps; very hardy.
Leather CoralウミキノコsoftBeginnerSoft coral with large mushroom-shaped cap. Hardy and fast-growing. Periodically sheds mucus to remove old tissue.
Sinularia (Finger Leather Coral)ウミキノコモドキsoftBeginnerFinger-shaped branching soft coral. Related to leather corals and equally hardy. Cream, green, brown color varieties. Similar to Toadstool but with branching form.
Toadstool CoralカタトサカsoftBeginnerBranching soft coral that is hardy with diverse color variations. Easy to frag and propagate.
Pulsing Xeniaキサンゴ(パルスコーラル)softBeginnerUnique soft coral with pulsing polyps that rhythmically open and close. Mesmerizing movement. Hardy and proliferates quickly.
Green Star PolypグリーンスターポリプsoftBeginnerA hardy soft coral with green star-shaped polyps on a mat. Beautiful fluorescent green.Related care articles

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