Mermaid’s Shaving Brush (Penicillus capitatus) – Live Rooted Macroalgae

$19.99

Only 1 available — one-of-one. The photo is the exact coral you receive.

Live rooted Mermaid’s Shaving Brush (Penicillus capitatus) — in Key West. Natural nutrient export, reef-safe, ships UPS Next Day Air.

1 in stock

Packing and shipping are charged per box, not per coral. The $10 packing fee covers the insulated box, heat or ice packs and the time it takes to pack live coral safely; overnight UPS is the carrier cost of getting it out of Key West alive. A box typically holds around five small frags, so adding compatible corals to the same shipment usually will not add another packing or shipping charge. Larger colonies, species that cannot share water, or extreme weather can require a second box. Orders with $349 or more in qualifying livestock ship free.

Florida: $30 overnight livestock shipping. Qualifying Florida livestock orders under 6 lb ship overnight for a flat $30, plus the $10 packing fee. Heavier or mixed shipments use our standard overnight rate. Orders with $349 or more in qualifying livestock ship free.

Livestock ships UPS Next Day Air on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so nothing sits in a facility over a weekend. We ship livestock within the continental U.S. only. We do not ship to Alaska or Hawaii.

SKU: MACRO-MERMAIDBRUSH-001

Category: Macroalgae

Description

You are buying a healthy, live rooted Mermaid’s Shaving Brush (Penicillus capitatus) — a striking calcareous green macroalga with a single upright stalk topped by a soft brush of fine filaments, anchored by a bulbous holdfast that roots into your sandbed. in Key West, Florida, photographed under reef lighting.

About Mermaid’s Shaving Brush (Penicillus capitatus)

One of the most useful and best-looking plants you can add to a reef or refugium. Because it lays down calcium carbonate in its tissue, most fish leave it alone — making it one of the few macroalgae that holds up in a display tank rather than only a ‘fuge. It pulls nitrate and phosphate straight out of the water column as it grows, competing with nuisance algae for the same nutrients, and it spreads naturally by sending out runners across the sand. Tank-grown stock like ours acclimates far better than wild-collected and arrives free of hitchhikers.

Care Guide

Beginner-friendly and low-maintenance once rooted, rewarding a stable, well-lit tank with steady new growth.

Lighting: Moderate to high — grows fastest and stays densest under stronger reef light.
Flow: Low to moderate — enough to keep detritus off the brush without uprooting it.
Placement: Plant the holdfast into an open sandbed at least 2″ deep so it can anchor and send runners.
Nutrients: Photosynthetic and a natural nutrient exporter — no target feeding needed; it feeds on the nitrate and phosphate you want gone.
Calcium demand: Being calcareous, it appreciates reef-level calcium and magnesium; keep them in normal reef range.
Aggression: Completely peaceful and reef-safe.
Water Parameters: Temp 76–78°F, salinity 1.025–1.026, Alk 8–9 dKH, Ca 420–440, Mg 1300–1400. Stability matters more than exact numbers.

Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee

Ships UPS Next Day Air every Tuesday and Wednesday from Key West, Florida. Packed with an insulated box and a heat or cold pack appropriate for current conditions. The specimen is carefully secured to prevent movement during transit.

Live arrival is guaranteed. If your macroalgae arrives DOA, photograph it inside the unopened bag within 4 hours of delivery confirmation and contact us right away. We will work with you on a resolution.

CARE INFORMATION

Lighting	Moderate to high — grows fastest and stays densest under stronger reef light
Flow	Low to moderate — enough to keep detritus off the brush without uprooting it
Feeding	High — meaty foods 2–3× weekly
Placement	Plant the holdfast into an open sandbed at least 2″ deep so it can anchor and send runners
Care level	Beginner
Water parameters	Temp 76–78°F · salinity 1.025–1.026 · Alk 8–9 dKH · Ca 420–440 · Mg 1300–1400

Overnight shipping · Live Arrival Guaranteed. See current rates, ship days and how a claim works.

Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee

UPS Next Day Air, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We hold the box if the weather at either end puts the animals at risk. Florida livestock orders under 6 lb ship overnight at $30. Other continental-U.S. orders use the applicable overnight rate. Eligible livestock orders of $349 or more ship free. A $10 Box & Handling Fee applies to every livestock shipment, including free-shipping orders. We do not ship to Alaska or Hawaii.
Live arrival guaranteed. Photograph the animal in the sealed, unopened bag and send it to us within 4 hours of the delivery scan.
Approved claims are resolved with a replacement or store credit. We do not issue cash refunds on livestock.
Coverage is for condition on arrival and ends at acclimation.

New arrival? Read this before you open the bag →
Full Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee · Refunds & Returns

Conditioned in our Key West systems · FL Aquaculture Certificate #AQ0254072 · (305) 850-9949