No photo yet
Sign in to submit the first photo
Purple Sea Fan
Gorgonia ventalina
Also known as Venus Sea Fan, Common Sea Fan
Animalia›Cnidaria›Anthozoa›Malacalcyonacea›Gorgoniidae
📍 Caribbean — Bahamas to Venezuela
The iconic purple fan-shaped gorgonian found throughout the Caribbean. Non-photosynthetic — requires regular target feeding with coral foods or phytoplankton. Grows in the plane perpendicular to current flow. A dramatic display piece.
Community Photos
0 photosPhotos are added when members log a tank with this species and upload a photo in their tank journal. Add your own tank to contribute.
No photos yet — add a tank with Purple Sea Fan to be the first!
Sign in to vote.
Tank Mates
Reef-safe fish that won't damage the fan and coexist peacefully in Caribbean biotopes
Beneficial reef inhabitants that help maintain water quality without harming the gorgonian
Reef-safe scavengers that feed on detritus and won't disturb the fan coral
Small, peaceful reef fish that won't damage delicate polyps
Active but non-aggressive species compatible with stationary corals
Common Diseases
Tissue Necrosis
Darkening or death of polyp tissue, visible bare branches, progressive tissue loss
Improve water quality and flow; ensure adequate feeding; check for allelopathic neighbors; consider activated carbon to remove organic compounds
Polyp Recession
Polyps fail to extend, retracted appearance, reduced feeding response
Verify moderate, steady water flow; increase feeding frequency with quality phytoplankton; check water parameters (salinity, pH, nitrate levels)
Bacterial Infection
Slime coating on branches, foul odor, rapid tissue deterioration
Perform partial water changes; improve water circulation; consider antibiotic dips if severe; maintain pristine water quality
Starvation
Pale coloration, shrunken polyps, slow growth or decline
Establish consistent feeding schedule with phytoplankton and zooplankton; ensure adequate food particle size reaches the fan
Tips from the community 💡
0 tipsReal experiences, care advice, and keeper notes. Finn learns from these too.
Sign in to share your experience.
No community tips yet — be the first to share your knowledge!
Quick Facts
- flow
- moderate and steady
- placement
- mounted upright in current
- difficulty
- intermediate
- lightLevel
- low to medium
Water it likes
- ph
- 8.1–8.4
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 8–18 dGH
- temperature
- 75–81°F (24–27°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.