Sea fan gorgonian
Rumphella
Also known as Sea Fan, Sea Whip, Bushy Gorgonian, Pacific Gorgonian
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 11.8 in
- 30 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Photosynthetic
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Gorgoniidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific reef lagoons and slopes, from Indonesia and the Philippines to Pacific island groups such as the Marshall Islands
Overview
The sea fan gorgonian is one of the few gorgonians that a general reef keeper can succeed with. It still takes a little experience.
Did you know
Most gorgonians sold in the hobby, unlike the sea fan gorgonian, have no zooxanthellae at all. That includes popular orange and red types like Diodogorgia and Menella. They slowly starve in home aquariums without expert-level feeding.
Caring for the sea fan gorgonian
Give the sea fan gorgonian moderate to fairly strong light, roughly 120 to 200 PAR. A new frag can start lower on the rockwork and move up as it settles in. Provide moderate to strong flow, ideally irregular or pulsing, in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). Its polyps extend to strain fine plankton from passing current, which is part of why steady flow across the branches matters.
Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It carries symbiotic zooxanthellae and gets most of its energy from light. Unlike most sea fans and sea whips, it does not need constant target feeding to survive. It still benefits from occasional feedings of phytoplankton or fine zooplankton.
Pick an open spot with room for the branches to sway without brushing neighboring corals. Growth is slow and upright, so give it space to fill out. Keep faster-growing leathers and LPS from crowding or stinging it as it spreads. It is passive and will not sting or bother tank mates.
Good to know
Rumphella is a true gorgonian in the family Gorgoniidae. It is built around a flexible internal skeleton of the protein gorgonin, rather than the rigid calcium carbonate skeleton of stony corals.
In the wild
Rumphella grows on Indo-Pacific reef slopes and in shallow, current-swept lagoons. Its range runs from Indonesia and the Philippines to Pacific island groups such as the Marshall Islands. Colonies form dense, upright bushes of thin branches covered in small feeding polyps. They anchor to hard bottom, where surge and current keep the branches swaying.
Common questions
What size tank does a sea fan gorgonian need?
A sea fan gorgonian needs at least 20 gal (75 L).
What temperature and pH does a sea fan gorgonian need?
A sea fan gorgonian is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a sea fan gorgonian eat?
A sea fan gorgonian carries symbiotic zooxanthellae and gets most of its energy from light. It still benefits from occasional feedings of phytoplankton or fine zooplankton.
How big does a sea fan gorgonian get?
An adult sea fan gorgonian reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).
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