Blueberry Sea Fan

About the Blueberry Sea Fan

Care Level: Expert
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Safe: Yes
Diet: Filter Feeder
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
Lighting: Low
Water Flow: Strong
Placement: Middle to Top

With its unusual blue coloration of bright red base color and vibrant blue polyps the blueberry sea fan is a great show piece to any reef aquarium. The Blueberry Sea fan is a challenging gorgonian that is recommended for  experienced due to its special needs. Supplemental feeding is required a few times a week because like other gorgonians it is not photosynthetic. It requires low light to prevent microalgae growth as well as strong water flow.

A Gorgonian, also known as sea whip or sea fan, is an order soft coral found throughout the oceans of the world, especially in the tropics and subtropics. Gorgonians grow individual tiny polyps form a colonies that are normally erect, flattened, branching, and reminiscent of a fan, while others may be whip like, bushy, or even encrusting. Each Gorgonian polyp has about eight tentacles, which catch plankton and particulate matter that is consumed through a process called filter feeding. However, some Gorgonians contain algae, or zooxanthellae which allows a symbiotic relationship to exist and assists in giving the Gorgonian nutrition through photosynthesis.