Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
Site Supported in Part by:
Boyd Enterprises 

Family Gorgoniidae

Gorgonia flabellum

Linnaeus, 1758

Venus Sea Fan

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas, Lesser Antilles, Tobago and Trinidad.

Natural Environment: Inhabit inner and outer reef flats at depths below 30 feet (10 m) and can reach heights of about 6 feet (2 m).

Aquarium Suitability: A beautiful species, however, not collected for the trade.

Taxonomy:

    Kingdom: Animalia

    Phylum: Cnidaria

    Class: Anthozoa

    Subclass: Octocorallia

    Order: Anlcyonacea

    Suborder: Holaxonia

    Family: Gorgoniidae

    Genus: Gorgonia

FYI: Shown here only for identification only.

This fan shaped horny coral grows with the flat side facing the current to allow them to feed more efficiently on the flow of plankton.

 Gorgonia flabellum (Venus Sea Fan)
Photo © Bob Fenner
Site Supported in Part by:
Ocean Nutrition