ORA Vargas Cespitularia

This fast growing Cespitularia was brought to us by Tony Vargas and has been growing in our greenhouse for several years. The stalks exhibit an iridescent indigo coloration while the delicate polyps typically appear a light gold color. This is the hardiest variety of Cespitularia we’ve seen and it will thrive in a variety of aquarium conditions. The Vargas Cespitularia colony spreads across substrate by sending out a stolon and stalks remain interconnected by a thin strand of tissue, this “runner” appearance is unique when compared to the other Cespitularia varieties we grow.  The Vargas Cespitularia was sent out for scientific identification as it was initially thought to be a member of the genus Efflatounaria. Michael Janes of AquaTouch in Arizona performed a comparative morphological analysis on three different Xeniids grown in our greenhouse and found that all exhibited enough similar characteristics to classify them as the same species, Cespitularia erecta. While genetic testing would need to be performed for verification, the study opens the door for further understanding of how Xeniids grow in captive conditions. You can read Michael’s write up here. Xeniid Report for ORA Placement: All Levels Lighting: Low – High Flow: Moderate – Strong