Sea fans are related to soft corals.
They look like small trees, but they are actually colonies of animals (polyps) living together in the shape of a fan. Each polyp has eight feathery tentacles.
When the polyps come out to feed they give the ‘branches’ a fuzzy appearance.
Nippled sea fans may be seen in caves or on the sides of boulders, which are sheltered from strong currents.
They live in warm and cold water – from Luderitz to Sodwana – in depths of up to 360m.
Lives in cold and warm water
Found in caves or sides of boulders that are sheltered from currents