Sea Whip

Ellisella / Junceella sp.

Care Level	Moderate to advanced
Lighting	Low (many are NPS)
Water Flow	Moderate to high
Placement	Mid rock, facing flow
Aggression	Peaceful
Coloration	Red, orange, yellow single stalks

Overview

Sea Whips are tall, unbranched or sparsely branched gorgonians that rise like colorful rods from the reef. Many of the brightly colored ones (red, orange) are non-photosynthetic and require feeding; some are photosynthetic. Know which type you have, as it determines the difficulty.

Care & Placement

Orient across the flow in moderate-to-high current. Mount the base firmly. Photosynthetic types want some light; the colorful NPS types prefer shade and need frequent feeding. Strong flow keeps the polyps fed and the surface clean.

Feeding

Depends on type: photosynthetic sea whips get by on light plus some food; NPS (colorful) sea whips must be target-fed fine foods (phytoplankton, zooplankton) frequently. The NPS ones are the challenging part.

Propagation

Frag by cutting a section and mounting the base to a plug; keep the cut clean.

Cautions

Keep the surface free of algae/detritus. Colorful NPS sea whips frequently starve in typical tanks — only attempt them with a heavy feeding regimen. Provide strong flow.