Purple sea blade
Pterogorgia anceps
Also known as Purple Ribbon Gorgonian, Sea Blade, Angular Sea Whip, Purple Blade Gorgonian, Sea Whip
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 17.7 in
- 45 cm
- Minimum tank
- 26 gal
- 100 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Pterogorgiidae
- Origin
- Grows on shallow Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs and seagrass flats, including Florida and the Bahamas.
Overview
Epoxy or glue the base to live rock in a 100 liter or larger reef with medium to bright light and strong flow. It is a hardy, forgiving gorgonian that runs mostly on light but appreciates occasional phytoplankton and trace elements like iodine and strontium to support the skeleton. Keep water moving briskly over the blades so nuisance algae and detritus do not smother them. It coexists peacefully with most tankmates and does not sting neighbors.
In the wild
A photosynthetic gorgonian with flat, ribbon-like blades instead of round branches, edged with grooves where the polyps emerge. The blades are purple to grayish and fork as the colony grows upright. Feeding polyps line the margins of each blade and give the edges a fringed look when open. It is unmistakable among aquarium gorgonians because of the wide flattened branches.
Good to know
Pterogorgia anceps is a member of the family Gorgoniidae and hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae, making it a photosynthetic species. The polyps sit in grooves along the edges of the blades, a layout that helps distinguish it from round-branched sea whips. Its skeleton is built from the flexible protein gorgonin rather than stony aragonite.
Did you know
The flat forked blades look so much like ribbon or seagrass that divers often overlook it as a plant until the polyps open.
Common questions
What size tank does a Purple sea blade need?
A Purple sea blade needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Purple sea blade need?
A Purple sea blade is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Purple sea blade get?
An adult Purple sea blade reaches about 17.7 in (45 cm).
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