Yellow Sea Whip

Pterogorgia citrina is a small gorgonian with flat, ribbon-like branches that lives in the shallow waters of the Caribbean. Branch color ranges from bright yellow to olive green, with a thin purple stripe along the edges; entirely purple colonies are seen occasionally. Whitish polyps are lined up along the edges of the branches. It carries zooxanthellae in its tissue and regularly sheds the waxy film covering its surface, which keeps algae from settling on it. It is sold in the trade as "yellow sea whip" or "yellow ribbon"; aquacultured pieces are limited.

• Strong light (about 150–300 PAR) and moderate to strong, random flow.
• In the middle zone of the rockwork, with the base fixed upright in a crevice or on a frag plug.
• Salinity 1.024–1.026, KH 7–11 dKH, calcium 400–450 mg/L; values should be stable.
• If flow and light are insufficient, algae may overgrow its branches.

It gets a significant share of its nutrition from photosynthesis, but it also captures fine particles from the water. Feeding phytoplankton or very fine zooplankton food 1–2 times a week supports its color and growth.

It is not aggressive; it can be kept side by side with colonies of its own species. Keep it away from stinging corals and fast-spreading soft corals. Butterflyfish, some angelfish and gorgonian-eating snails are a danger.