Sea Pen

Care Summary

The Sea Pen is a colonial soft coral relative that anchors its feather-shaped body in soft sediment and extends its polyps upward into the water column to feed, and it adds a hauntingly beautiful vertical element to a biotope-style display. It requires a deep, soft sandbed of at least four inches to anchor properly, combined with moderate to strong flow and very low nitrates for long-term health. Sea pens are sensitive to sudden parameter shifts and do not tolerate the high-nutrient conditions common in many reef tanks, so consistent water changes and a well-tuned skimmer are essential. Feed fine zooplankton and phytoplankton directly into the water column near the extended polyps two to three times per week to supplement what it captures from flow alone.