Cool blue/purple softie that I need help identifying

[Clint Randall]

This guy was a hitchhiker on a shipment. Any idea what he is? He's really cool! He came off of a larger rock that almost looked encrusted, even though they appear to be individual little softie polyps.

 

[ReeferBee]

Blue clove polyps. Some may call them the blue plague as they will cover everything if given optimal conditions

 

[Clint Randall]

Ok, thanks for the quick response! Good to know. They did look like they had covered a rock.

 

[LetItReef]

A Sympodium?

 

[ReeferBee]

I personally would take them out before it's too late. They can and will spread to other rocks. Even ones they're not touching. One of if not the most invasive corals. Which is a bummer because I think they're neat

 

[Clint Randall]

Yeah, thinking about it. I like them, but see pics of others' tanks completely overrun.

 

[ReeferBee]

Very difficult to control and wipe out once they've spread. Flukes tabs can exterminate them but are hard to come by these days, unless you know someone with a secret stash lol

 

[Clint Randall]

I'm a little torn on whether I actually like the effect. I have 45 gallon cube and the color contrast is really interesting in some of those tanks taken over by these guys. Sounds like you can't get rid of them, but other corals win out and some people even glue frags right on top of them with no problems. Curious.

 

[Rybren]

I've had them in a couple of my tanks and they never did much of anything. Xenia and GSP on the other hand, always spread like wildfire.

 

[Clint Randall]

I've decided to give them a go. I have a pretty small tank - 45 JBJ - and I don't mind the look at all from looking around. It just means being a bit more aggressive in placing the frags I want so that they can start claiming their space.

 

[ReeferBee]

I've had them in a couple of my tanks and they never did much of anything. Xenia and GSP on the other hand, always spread like wildfire.

It seems to be one of those that thrives in some systems and stays dormant in others. Much like xenia

 

[flexiblewater]

I had to tear down my first tank be of these things

 

[panoum]

Does anybody know if they are harmful to SPS?

 

[wkscott]

Does anybody know if they are harmful to SPS?

If they start to grow up the base of the SPS, especially frags, the SPS can be smothered.

 

[Clint Randall]

I dont think they are a concern with sps. I've read a ton of forums on this after someone identified him and no one has said they win out against other corals other than squeezing themselves between some zoos.