Red tree gorgonian (non-photosynthetic)

Care at a glance

The red tree gorgonian is bright red or orange with contrasting white polyps and belongs to the non-photosynthetic gorgonians: it has no symbiotic algae and therefore gains nothing from light. Everything it needs has to come from the water.

That means fine plankton or filter feed several times a day and constant, strong flow past every branch. Without that regime it loses tissue within a few months; this is a species for a system built specifically around it.

Good to know

• Hard to wean onto dry food
• Filter feeder — needs fine suspended food

Related species

• Sea plume gorgonian (Antillogorgia)Antillogorgia acerosa
• Purple sea plume gorgonianMuriceopsis flavida
• Photosynthetic gorgonianPinnigorgia flava
• Fox coralNemenzophyllia turbida
• Acan echinataAcanthastrea echinata
• Long tentacle plate coralHeliofungia actiniformis