Sympodium (Sympodium brasiliensis) Care Guide
Sympodium is an encrusting Xeniidae soft coral with star-shaped neon polyps, photosynthetic and beginner-friendly in reef tanks.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Sympodium is an encrusting soft coral in the family Xeniidae, popular for its star-shaped polyps in vivid blue or green. Each deep blue polyp bears eight jade pinnules, giving a flower-like appearance. Unlike its relative Xenia, Sympodium does not pulse; instead it spreads as a thin mat over rock.
Taxonomy
- Family: Xeniidae
- Genus: Sympodium
- Scientific name (trade): Sympodium brasiliensis
- Note: the genus Sympodium is recognised in WoRMS (type species S. caeruleum Ehrenberg, 1834); the trade name S. brasiliensis is retained here as the catalogue identifier.
Husbandry
It tolerates a range of lighting and is easy to keep under moderate to high illumination with medium water flow. As an encrusting species it spreads readily over available rock and is best isolated on its own rockwork, set apart from other corals to prevent overgrowth.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 C (75-79 F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness (KH): 8-11 dKH
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Lighting: ~50-150 PAR (medium)
- Flow: low to medium
- Minimum tank maturity: 3 months
Feeding
Sympodium is photosynthetic: through its symbiotic zooxanthellae it derives most of its nutrients from light, and it also absorbs dissolved nutrients from the water column. Supplemental amino acids may be offered but are not essential.
Compatibility
It is passive and reef-safe, compatible with fish and shrimp. Because it spreads quickly, give it space away from slower-growing corals.
Sympodium brasiliensis Propagation Guide
Overview
Sympodium is an encrusting soft coral in the family Xeniidae, the soft corals of the order Malacalcyonacea. It is related to Xenia but does not pulse and has much smaller polyps, with feathered tentacles on individual branching stalks. It is a very tolerant but slow-growing coral that encrusts and spreads across rock surfaces.
Reproductive Mode
Sympodium spreads vegetatively as its encrusting base advances over rock, so propagation is asexual and based on dividing the spreading colony.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Because the coral encrusts and spreads as it grows, a frag is obtained by cutting through the encrusting base or by placing nearby rock or plugs so the colony grows onto them and can later be separated. New pieces are then secured where they have ample room to expand.
Conditions for Propagation
Sympodium is primarily photosynthetic and generally does not need supplemental feeding, though it will accept small filter foods. It is extremely adaptive to lighting and tolerates a range of flow, so frags establish under conditions matching the water parameters recorded for this species in the knowledge base.
Common Challenges
The main limitation is its slow growth, which keeps the species relatively rare and means fragmented colonies take time to fill in. Stalks are more brittle than they appear, so cuttings should be handled gently. As a non-aggressive coral, it should be given room away from faster spreaders.