The Clove Polyp is commonly known as eight tentacle polyps, or encrusting polyps. It is colonial in nature and mostly found attached to a single piece of live rock. The Clove Polyp may also form mats or clumps. It is not really difficult to maintain and requires medium light along with medium flow current of water within the aquarium. It should be kept far away from stinging corals, as the Clove Polyp can be stung by aggressive corals, and therefore need adequate space between themselves and corals. Sometimes, the Clove Polyp may harm zoanthid anemones, if kept adjacent to it. It thrives well in addition of trace amount of iodine into the water. The Clove Polyp grows rapidly in the established reef aquarium by encrusting over adjacent rock work or even other corals. It possesses symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae, in its tissue which helps in manufacturing food and provides energy and nutrition to the coral. Also, the additional feeding is not required but weekly feedings of micro plankton or food designed for feeding invertebrates does wonders for the Clove Polyp. Its amazing colors make this a valuable specimen which is stunning and outstanding in your aquarium. On retracting, the polyps gets closed in such a way that even its closed heads are visible. It breeds easily and rapidly, and may grow over everything adjacent to it, therefore place the Clove Polyp in a spacious region of your aquarium and also away from the corals. It grows well in a temperature range of 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and pH of 8.10-8.40.