ORA Purple Gorgonian

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Yellow Sea Whip; Yellow Sea Blade; Green Sea Blade; Green Lace Gorgonian; Purple Polyp

Synonyms

Pterogorgia citrina var. purple

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Caribbean Sea, Bahamas, Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico, northern South America

Habitat

Shallow reef flats, reef crests, and back reefs with strong current, typically at 3-30 feet depth attached to hard substrate

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Coral type

Soft

Temperament

Peaceful

Growth form

Gorgonian

Adult size

1.5 – 12 in (3.8 – 30 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Moderate

Placement

Middle, High

Water

Temperature

75 – 80 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.023 – 1.026 SG

PAR

150 – 250 PAR

Flow

Moderate-High

Light

Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Low

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

6 in (15 cm)

Colors

Purple

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Zooplankton, Phytoplankton, Coral food

Propagation

Fragging

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Care guide

Overview

Branches sway continuously in current, sweeping the water column for zooplankton while deep purple tissue photosynthesizes under medium lighting. This aquacultured Pterogorgia citrina forms an upright, gorgonian-shaped colony reaching up to a foot tall and needs strong flow to stay clean and detritus-free. Give it space from neighboring corals, as its sweeper tentacles can sting sessile tankmates on contact.

Care

This gorgonian grows in an upright, branching form and does best in an established reef tank with strong, consistent water flow to keep its tissue free of algae and detritus. It needs moderate lighting and stable water chemistry, with regular dosing of calcium, strontium, and iodine to support tissue health. Polyps typically extend during the day when flow and light are adequate, and prolonged polyp closure often signals stress or poor water quality.

Placement & acclimation

Mount securely to live rock or rubble using coral epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue, oriented so branches can sway freely without contacting neighboring corals. Acclimate to lighting gradually over one to two weeks when moving from lower to higher intensity systems, and allow at least 30 minutes for standard drip or float acclimation to temperature and salinity.

Feeding

Most of its nutritional needs come from zooxanthellae housed in its tissue, so it does not strictly require target feeding. Occasional offerings of fine zooplankton or phytoplankton support better polyp extension and long-term growth. Feeding is most beneficial when flow is reduced briefly to allow the polyps time to capture food particles.

Neighbors

Peaceful toward tankmates but should be given clear space from neighboring corals since sweeper tentacles or contact stinging can damage adjacent colonies as it sways in the current. Its swaying branches can also serve as a perch for seahorses or other slow-moving fish. Avoid placing it too close to corals that might be abraded by its constant motion.

Fragging

Colonies can be fragged by cutting healthy branch sections with clean shears and securing the cut end to a new base with epoxy or glue, allowing the wound to heal in low-flow, stable conditions before returning to normal placement.

Pests & problems

Tissue recession and rapid deterioration can occur if algae or cyanobacteria colonize bare skeleton, so any affected areas should be manually cleaned promptly. Inadequate flow is the most common cause of decline, since detritus settling on the branches leads to necrosis. New specimens can be slow to acclimate and may go through a period of reduced polyp extension before settling in.

Sources

1. yellow sea whip (Pterogorgia citrina) – Complete Care Guide | Reeflings
2. Saltcorner Species Profile: Pterogorgia citrina
3. Purple Whip Gorgonian – LiveAquaria
4. ORA Purple Gorgonian - Bulk Reef Supply

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