Pulse Coral

About

Pulse coral (Xenia umbellata) is one of those corals that stops people in their tracks at the fish store. Those constantly opening and closing polyp clusters are genuinely unlike anything else in the hobby. The pulsing motion appears to help the coral circulate water across its tissues for gas exchange, though exactly why some xeniid corals pulse and others don't is still debated. Found across a broad stretch of the Indo-Pacific and western Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea down through Madagascar and as far as South Africa, this species typically grows in colonies of tall stalks topped with those signature pompom-like polyp heads. Coloration is usually white to pale cream or light tan, sometimes with a faintly iridescent quality under good lighting. Unlike many soft corals, Xenia umbellata appears to derive a significant portion of its nutrition through direct absorption of dissolved organic material from the water rather than relying entirely on zooxanthellae or feeding, which partly explains why it can be so adaptable. It tends to grow quickly under favorable conditions and can spread across rockwork through budding, so placement is worth thinking about from the start. For newer reef keepers looking for a hardy, visually engaging soft coral, this one is genuinely hard to beat.