Bottle-brush Coral

About

Bottle-brush coral (Muriceopsis flavida) is a branching gorgonian native to the Western Atlantic, ranging from the Caribbean up through the coastal waters of the United States and Canada. In the wild it grows on shallow tropical reefs, typically at depths between about 3 and 15 meters, where its dense, feathery branches give it that characteristic bottle-brush silhouette that makes identification pretty straightforward. The colonies are covered in small polyps arranged along stiff, upright branches, and the overall form can vary from tightly clustered to more loosely spread depending on local conditions. In the aquarium, this gorgonian is one of the more accessible soft corals you can keep. It tolerates a range of conditions better than many of its relatives, making it a reasonable choice even for reef keepers who are still building their experience. It does best with consistent moderate flow to keep detritus from settling on the branches, which can lead to tissue recession if ignored. Lighting at moderate levels suits it well. Like other photosynthetic gorgonians, it relies partly on zooxanthellae and partly on particulate feeding, so occasional target feeding with fine foods will help it stay healthy and growing over the long term.