Sea Pen - anyone had experience?

[Sea Serpent]

The LFS that I sometimes go to had a sea pen. I have never seen one for sale before at any lfs and checked the books before buying. They said that sea pens require a DSB (I have one) good water quality (mine is great), not photosynthetic and need to be fed (I feed the tubastrea every night - what's one more?)

So, it has buried its foot in the sandbed, just like the books said it would - but it completely buried itself. I was horrified! - but this morning it had raised its "body" out of the sand about 2 inches - and extended its polyps.

This is ONE STRANGE ANIMAL! Hasn anyone had any experience?

Thanks,
SS

 

[jamesw]

You may want to ask Rob Toonen about this one. Post a message in his forum here under "Invertebrate Discussion"

Cheers
James Wiseman

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
If you sea pen come out during the day, it may not fit the description of the LFS's.

I have an 10 inch sea pen(is) for several years, until I decided to bring it to my office tank. Everyone loves to watch it as it pops up. It was right next to a T. deresa clam... and if there are any Hindu on our floor, the pair will be worshipped

Mine is diurnal, and I never fed it. It does bury itself in the sand bed at night. It is tan-colored, looked like other zooan. octocoral. It died about a year ago when the office building managed decided to turn off the HVAC to our building during Xmas break.

 

[Kim D]

I have one in my reef...it is a purplish pink color...goes in the sand at night and up during the day. I have heard that they can be difficult, but mine has been great. Do not specifically feed it.