Description
You are buying the exact coral in the photo — a big, bushy 8″ Rusty Gorgonian frag (Muriceopsis flavida) photographed under blue spectrum reef lighting with every polyp out and feeding. The rust-copper branches carry dense, fuzzy polyp coverage from base to tip, giving the whole colony a soft, swaying, sea-whip motion that adds instant height and movement to a reef display.
About the Rusty Gorgonian (Muriceopsis flavida)
The Rusty Gorgonian is a photosynthetic Caribbean sea rod — one of the best gorgonians for reef tanks because it hosts zooxanthellae and does not require constant target feeding like its non-photosynthetic cousins. Upright, branching, and fast-growing once established, it brings the natural gorgonian silhouette of a wild Florida reef into the aquarium. Fully in our Key West systems.
Care Guide
A hardy, forgiving soft coral for most reef tanks — its main requests are light, flow, and room to sway.
- Lighting: Medium to High — PAR 150–300. Photosynthetic; brighter light keeps polyp extension full.
- Flow: Medium to High — steady, alternating flow keeps the branches clean and prevents algae from settling on the tissue.
- Placement: Mid to upper rockwork with open water around it to grow tall.
- Feeding: Low to Medium — photosynthesis covers most needs; fine plankton foods speed growth.
- Aggression: Peaceful — no sweepers; just keep encroaching corals from shading it.
- 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.
Ships UPS Overnight every Tuesday and Wednesday from Key West, Florida. Packed with insulated box and heat or cold pack appropriate for current conditions. Specimen is carefully secured to prevent movement during transit.
Placement: Mid to upper rockwork in steady flow, with room to sway.
New to this coral? Read up first
Not sure how to keep it? See the soft corals in our Coral Field Guide — ID notes, PAR, flow, placement and aggression, next to the corals people mistake them for.
Overnight shipping · Live Arrival Guaranteed. See current rates, ship days and how a claim works.
Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee
- UPS Overnight, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We hold the box if the weather at either end puts the animals at risk.
- Free shipping on livestock orders over $399 — WYSIWYG included. Under $399 ships overnight at $50. Box & handling $15.
- 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 →
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Conditioned in our Key West systems · FL Aquaculture Certificate #AQ0254072 · (305) 850-9949
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