Gorgonians:
TG Amber sea fan (Pinnigorgia flava)
This coral is a really hardy piece that I’ve had for many years. Pink tissue and polyps, grows fast and in a different pattern depending on flow, and can handle lower flow patterns than most of my other Gorgonians. This Gorgonian doesn’t encrust the base as readily as other species, but if given time it tends to encrust the base just enough to stabilize the colony to the rocks. Branches will fuse together to make thicker and more unique shapes. My main colony is 20” tall and I have trimmed it to have a super thick central stalk and rubbing so that it flows less in the direct flow from my gyres. Originally got the colony as a 4-5” frag from Tidal Gardens.
Purple Sea Whip (Antillogorgia elisabethae)
This coral is a hardy variety of gorgonian that is much stiffer in shape than most gorgonians. My colony is being blasted by 5000 gallons per hour and is still growing well and looks to hold up fine under direct aggressive flow. Frags of the colony under lower flow still keep its pleasant shape, stiffness, and color. Purple with reddish polyps. This coral encrusts well, one average sized colony has encrusted a nice 2” diameter base and doubled in size over the last year. Can handle the highest lighting you have and will still grow up out of the water. Doesn’t grow as wide as other gorgonians, has a much thicker growth pattern. With proper flow pattern it will form an ideal fan shape.
Purple Brush Gorgonian (Muriceopsis flavida).
This gorgonian is a photosynthetic variety from the Caribbean that I have had two colonies of over the years. I originally sold my colony when I left the hobby in 2015 and it took a while to find it again. This coral grows well in a range of flow and has a very deep purple tissue color and rust brown polyps. This coral encrusts much better than other varieties of gorgonian and has the fastest growth rate of any Caribbean gorgonian in my collection.
Purple Ribbon Gorgonian (Pterogorgia anceps)
This gorgonian was originally the most finicky of the photosynthetic gorgonians I have kept. It took almost 8 months after acquiring it from the ocean to have it to really adjust to captive conditions and start growing and showing its polyps all day. During that period it was hit or miss from day to day. It has been a long ride, but this colony has really grown well over the last two years and I believe that this coral is finally willing to sell to others without worry about its survivability. It grows very fast now and has been happy under conditions ranging from the display tank to the corner of the refugium. This coral has a pleasing smooth purple skin with usually three ridges of white polyps. For a photosynthetic gorgonian, this is the only variety I have ever kept with truly white polyps. Polyps will go brown under non-ideal light or water conditions but turn white again with good lighting and stable waters. This coral does best under even higher flow and higher lighting than most other gorgonians.
Golden Plume Gorgonian Antillogorgia bipinnata
https://youtube.com/shorts/uRZOq7dqqyw?feature=share
This gorgonian has a light golden skin and orange-yellowish polyps arranged along the lateral surfaces of the coral. This gorgonian will also encrust readily under good conditions. High flow and high light.
Candelabra Gorgonian Eunicea sp
https://youtube.com/shorts/UcuEJoTqqIQ?feature=share
This gorgonian has the thickest stalk and largest polyps of any gorgonian I have ever kept. This gorgonian has white tissue with brown polyps. The polyps are large enough to eat even full sized mysis shrimp but the colony can survive photosynthetically without any intentional feeding. This gorgonian will also encrust the rocks at its base. This coral needs a good amount of space to show its best shape and aesthetics. My main colony in my display is 12”x15” and is very stunning. This coral grows fast but needs space to spread out.
