Gorgonia Ventalina is doing OK.

Mark Novack · May 31, 2019

Hi,
Wanting a seafan, I decided on the Gorgonia Ventalina. I have seen plenty of these in various tanks well glued into place and dead so I purchased it thinking it would be a nice piece until it denuded and died.

Several months later it's doing OK. Great polyp extension, for a Ventalina, and the dead tips that I trimmed away have recovered and are VERY slowly growing.

Mine is only purple if I smack my head really hard and see colors that are not there... it's gray with beige polyps.

It seems to require no special attention whatsoever except for a constant current. Mine is angled about 20 degrees from parallel to the current instead of the usual perpendicular orientation. It seems to allow less trapping of flow inhibiting detritus. I gently rub off the "stuff" that does accumulate on the tips with my fingers as necessary.

I'm really surprised that it's living and growing. The hardest part for me now is finding an appropriate placement that looks natural. I am going to attempt to glue it into place permanently now where it won't hide other specimens. I will snap a photo when/if I get it right. The attached photo is still temporary placement.

The point of this? Don't be timid to give a Ventalina a try if you have the desire and place. I'm experienced in aquariums but I'm certainly not an expert. If I can keep it alive so can you.

Mark
The Brutal Reefer

Dr. Dendrostein · May 31, 2019

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Mark Novack said:
Hi,
Wanting a seafan, I decided on the Gorgonia Ventalina. I have seen plenty of these in various tanks well glued into place and dead so I purchased it thinking it would be a nice piece until it denuded and died.

Several months later it's doing OK. Great polyp extension, for a Ventalina, and the dead tips that I trimmed away have recovered and are VERY slowly growing.

Mine is only purple if I smack my head really hard and see colors that are not there... it's gray with beige polyps.

It seems to require no special attention whatsoever except for a constant current. Mine is angled about 20 degrees from parallel to the current instead of the usual perpendicular orientation. It seems to allow less trapping of flow inhibiting detritus. I gently rub off the "stuff" that does accumulate on the tips with my fingers as necessary.

I'm really surprised that it's living and growing. The hardest part for me now is finding an appropriate placement that looks natural. I am going to attempt to glue it into place permanently now where it won't hide other specimens. I will snap a photo when/if I get it right. The attached photo is still temporary placement.

The point of this? Don't be timid to give a Ventalina a try if you have the desire and place. I'm experienced in aquariums but I'm certainly not an expert. If I can keep it alive so can you.

Mark
The Brutal Reefer

Never seen them thru my vendors. But, I'd love to have some. Also this is first time I've seen one in a tank. Beautiful, comrade
Thanks for sharing.

Mark Novack · May 31, 2019

Thank you. It makes me wonder what a purely Caribbean themed tank could look like with just gorgonia and small outcroppings of rock. However, that would require many fans and yes, they are not often available. Fragging one would present a very long wait to establish that Caribbean flat seabed look.