Sea Fans?

Petunia · 02-12-2006, 09:27 PM

Has anyone tried a Sea Fan in their tank? I'd love to have one in my tank but I'm not sure if a nine gallon nano will be a good home for it. I know that it needs low lighting, which I can do, but I was just wondering about anything else that a sea fan would require.
Any suggestions or comments about this?

Sizzlersonthebrain · 02-12-2006, 09:52 PM

most do not survive in small tanks

schneijt · 02-12-2006, 10:05 PM

Unfortunately, most don't do well in general no matter what tank you put them in.

Petunia · 02-12-2006, 10:12 PM

I've done more reading on them and it sounds like they don't do well anywhere. And, they release a toxin if damaged. So... forget that thought.

I just really like the shape of them. Is there another coral that will fan out like that?

Afish4u · 02-12-2006, 10:29 PM

WHere do you go to do all of this research?

pogodzib · 02-13-2006, 08:48 AM

The book "Aquarium Corals" by Eric Borneman talks about some sea fans that are easy to keep, and if I remember right says that they are commonly available to the hobby. I think all/most of them are green though. Most of the colored ones are difficult. I have yet to have seen or heard of anyone locally that has kept them or seen a store that carries them.

schneijt · 02-13-2006, 09:44 AM

I have "Marine Invertebrates" I think it is, and IIRC, it said basically Sea Fans are impossible to keep, and I recall reading they might even be toxic when they die. I don't know, I'll try to read it again and say what my book says.

-Joe

pogodzib · 02-13-2006, 01:48 PM

I'll double check my books tonight. Most information on sea fans in books are based upon research done in the 1970's. Back then, many corals that are commonly kept today were considered impossible to keep in a home aquarium.

davidsreef · 02-13-2006, 02:31 PM

I assume you are talking about Gorgonians, aka sea fans. Then yes they are difficult to keep,just like everyone has been saying. They have really high food demands since many are non-photosynthetic, but that doesn't mean they can't be kept you would just have to feed them several times a week. I do believe they also need high water flow to bring food too them from the water column. liveaquaria.com does have some for sale and labels them as "moderate" too keep, but from reading about them they seem a little more difficult than that. And since your running skimmerless, adding that extra food into the tank may cause water quality problems, IMHO. But the flip side to that argument would be that the sea fan could help your water quality by consuming food particles that would have otherwise been removed by the skimmer. Just a thought. If your serious about trying one let me know cause I am always up for a challenge and would like to try an easier one.

Sizzlersonthebrain · 02-13-2006, 03:53 PM

better off just buying a fake one. there are some fakes out there that look real.