Gorgonians are a group of corals which are commonly called sea whip, sea blade, and sea fan. Photosynthetic species thrive and sometimes dominate shallow water with very strong wave surge. Non-photosynthetic species are more abundant in deep or turbid water, especially where there is ample water motion.

The basic growth form is a thin layer of tissue surrounding a flexible but erect skeleton. The skeleton supports branches which can be round, flattened, or angular. The branches can grow in two or three planes with the colony appearing bushy, feather-like or fan-like. Gorgonians occur in many colors but they are most commonly shades of brown, purple, orange or red.

All gorgonians require strong water motion. The body plan of gorgonians is designed to maximize particle capture. They should be offered small nutritious particles whether or not they are photosynthetic. Photosynthetic species do best in intermediate to strong light intensity but the diet requirements of many non-photosynthetic species are not yet well understood.

Branches are easily cut with scissors. Before attaching to a new surface, cuttings should have some of the tissue removed to expose a small section of the internal skeleton. Attaching new cuttings with super glue or epoxy should be done between the internal skeleton and the desired substrate.