Red Finger Gorgonian

ReefJunkie · 07-21-2001, 09:29 PM

I picked one up at my lfs today. I wouldn't have bought it accept I am tired of seeing them buy corals and letting them waste away in there tanks. Every coral they have purchased has slowly turned into a skeleton. They have a 55g tank, that says reef tank on it, and is lit by 2 40w NO's with a few corals, LR, and some anemones.
They are really nice people but have very little knowledge about reef tanks. (hopefully I can have a nice friendly talk with them soon).

So anyways I bought this red finger and was wondering what is best way to feed it and what should I use
Thanks for any help.

Alice · 07-21-2001, 10:43 PM

Hi Scott;

Lots of current and phytoplankton for these corals. I've had a problem with algae build up with them in the past, so keep the current on them and brush the algae off on occasion if needed. They need to eat a lot being non-photo so they are fairly difficult but they sure can add some nice color.

About 50% of the time they don't come attached to a rock, you can glue them but I've found epoxy works better. Especially after I tried Brian's tip of cutting the flesh away from the "stalk" before placing in the epoxy. (If you don't, the flesh rots and then the "stalk" comes loose from the epoxy.)

~Alice

ReefJunkie · 07-21-2001, 11:32 PM

Hi Alice, I mounted it in the middle of the tank and it is getting alot of varied current from my tsunami. What brand of phytoplankton do you recomend and what is the best way of feeding it? (turkey baster, suringe?) Also how long should it take for the polyps too come out? I only saw a few when it was at the LFS.

This is a very nice peice, about 9" high by about 7" wide, so hopefully it comes too.

Alice · 07-22-2001, 12:48 AM

Scott,

I use DT's phytoplankton because I have it readily availabe but www.brineshrimpdirect.com carries a freeze-dried version as does ESV (I can't find their link just now.) Personally, I like the DT's because it's a live culture. The freeze-dried keeps a lot longer though. Feed the phyto per directions but rather than just letting it loose in the water column, use the baster or syringe to squirt it right on the coral when the polyps are out (generally before or after the lights are on.) I fed mine in the AM before the lights came on so the rest of the corals in the tank could get some of the benefits of the phyto too. These corals seem to take longer than average to adjust, give it a little extra time. I hope it does well for you! For the record, I tried to prop mine and the experiment didn't turn out too well

~Alice

ReefJunkie · 07-22-2001, 01:04 AM

Does Woody stock DT's phytoplankton?

Alice · 07-22-2001, 01:20 AM

That's why I have it so readily available

Spanky · 07-22-2001, 03:57 PM

Funny, we call them Sea Rods but actually Red Finger makes more sense. I was just checking to make sure you guys didn't have Amphimedon compressa which can poison your tank.
Jerel

Alice · 07-22-2001, 04:43 PM

Here's a pic I found doing a Google search; is this the one, Jerel? Lots of sites with info on research done with toxicity for this sp. too. Sounds fairly nasty.

~Alice

Spanky · 07-22-2001, 05:45 PM

You bet. It comes in several different colors too. And of course, we have a tank full of it.
http://www.usol.com/~islandbuck/Rock...s/crop0007.jpg
http://www.usol.com/~islandbuck/Rock...crop0033_2.jpg

[ 07-22-2001: Message edited by: landescaper ]

Alice · 07-22-2001, 06:57 PM

Kewl worms in crop 33

Spanky · 07-23-2001, 12:43 AM

Scott and Alice,
What is a Red Finger Gorgonian? Do you know where they come from / collected?
I'm asking because there are a lot of red finger sponges shipped out of here.

Jerel

Alice · 07-23-2001, 12:56 AM

Sorry Jerel, my bad. Diodogorgia nodulifera is what's commonly called "Red Finger" or "Orange Finger" around these parts.

ReefJunkie · 07-24-2001, 07:13 PM

Hey Alice, I just wanted to let you know that the polyps are starting to come out

Now I just need to find some time to go to woody's and get some DT's. I'm shooting for Sunday so maybe I'll see you around.

Alice · 07-24-2001, 11:25 PM

Good to hear that Scott! Yeah, I'll be around off and on at the shop this weekend; hope to see you there

DKKA · 07-25-2001, 02:38 PM

Hi Scott, FWIW, these gorgonians appreciate zooplankton, and any meaty foods. I have an orange Diodogorgia and it readily consumes whole frozen brine shrimp, as well as minced prime reef, and other meaty foods, and even flake. They are easy to feed, they just need to be fed often.
HTH, Dan