Blue ridge

[Vinman]

Does anyone grow Blue Ridge? I have heard it is a gorgonia however it's got a calcium exoskeleton then small polyps that occasionally extend. It gets the name Blue Ridge I believe because when it dies and dries out it turns blue. Which is frowned upon because you only see it in the trinket shops dead. I've had this Coral probably for 15 years or longer but never really got to the bottom of what classification it is. Does anyone have any info

 

[WVNed]

I have several from a frag I got at my LFS
All I know is whats on LA. I dont know if any of this is correct.

The Blue Ridge Coral, sometimes referred to as the Blue Coral, is often mistaken for a small polyp stony (SPS) coral because it has a hard blue exoskeleton with long, thin polyps. It really is an octocoral (soft coral) and its growth forms are branching, plate-like, columnar, or encrusting. Its body is composed of calcium carbonate and iron salts, which lend its distinctive blue color. However, the polyps are either brown or light blue. They are an interesting and peacefull coral that will add diversity to your reef aquarium.


The Blue Ridge Coral is generally peaceful towards other corals in the reef aquarium and will do best added to a well-established tank. It requires moderate to high lighting with a medium to strong water current in the aquarium. Calcium, strontium, iodine, and other trace elements will need to be added to the water.


It contains the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae from which it receives the majority of its nutritional requirements through photosynthesis. It does not require additional food to maintain its health in the reef aquarium, but it will feed on micro-plankton or foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_coral
The frag

Now
It is rather large

I have started it in 2 other spots.
On the rightmost peak

 

[sp1187]

I've got 3 pieces.
One piece about 1 1/2" high that is encrusting nicely.
A stick about 5" long and 3/4" diameter.
And 2 fingers 1 1/2" high on one plug.
Last frag show I asked a vendor "how much for the blue ridge?" and he was surprised anyone knew what it was.

from Tidal Gardens
https://www.tidalgardens.com/stock-heliopora-blue-ridge.html

 

[WVNed]

It's throwing off pieces. If I stick one in a hole up top it grows.
It would be rather easy to have a whole tank of the stuff.

 

[Vinman]

It is peaceful but it's encrusting over corals so you really have to be careful it almost grew over an entire acan colony and started crawling up some acros