Orange Neon Clove Polyps (Clavularia sp.)

Clove polyps run eight feathery, pinnate tentacles per head — an octocoral tell that's easy to spot once you know to look for it, versus the smooth-ringed polyps on stony corals. This orange variant spreads by sending out thin runners across rock and rubble, popping up new heads a few inches from the original colony almost like it's scouting territory. It's about as close to coral-proof as this hobby gets, tolerating swings in light and flow that would stress out most anything else in the tank.

Care level: Easy · Light/Flow/Placement: Moderate light, moderate flow, bottom-to-mid tank · Max size: Carpets outward indefinitely · Diet: Photosynthetic, no target feeding required