[Okayamapiper]

Went down to the shore to pick up some anemones and coco worms and lucked out and got a couple of obese sea pens. I am a little concerned as they have yet to dig into the substrate (fine 1mm crushed aragonite). Any ideas to get them to anchor?

[jimw369]

Whats a sea pen? Is that a tube anemone? Sorry Im behing the learning curve.

[Okayamapiper]

I believe they are grouped with sea feathers and sea whips, so that would make them a soft coral.
Here are a couple of photos. The reddish one has its polyps out, the white one is retracted. The reddish one when fully extended is about 8 inches tall and 4 inches wide.




To the lower left of the unhealthy coral is a stripped puffer. The other inhabitants are an undulated trigger, gold dogfaced puffer, a sargeant major fish and a clownfish. The fish were caught last fall and will be released once seahorse season starts

[jimw369]

I must admit Im flabbergasted Ive never seen one of those before. Looks just like a tube anemone only with polyps. Great addition though. Do you know if some one offers those online?

[Okayamapiper]

In Japan they go for about $50, and I have read that they are available in the US at LFS from time to time, but not having lived in the States for almost 20 years, I have no idea.

[Ganrin]

Jim, my lfs gets them in frequently from one of thier wholesalers who carrys a lot of carribean stuff, Im not sure thats the source on them but worth checking.

edit-- not sure they get exactly the same kind, hadnt heard the name obese sea pen, but they do carry seapens.