Waving Hand Coral

Xenia elongata is the coral that moves — those rhythmically pulsing stalks make any tank look alive, and beginners love it for good reason. Mid-tank under moderate light with gentle, indirect flow is the sweet spot; too much direct flow and it'll sulk and stop pulsing. The real trap with Xenia is how fast it spreads — give it an inch and it'll colonize surrounding rock before you notice, so pick its location deliberately. Don't feed it; Xenia pulls what it needs from the water column and overfeeding your tank chasing its nutrition is how you end up with a nutrient problem.