Yellow Gorgonian

cyberchef · 02-20-2002, 01:14 AM

I saved this gorgonian from the LFS, I hope it makes it. Can someone tell me if it is photosynthetic or not? If not what would be good to use to feed it with? The other Gorgs I have are doing fine, but this one was in poor shape before I brought it home.

cyberchef · 02-20-2002, 01:16 AM

Also could someone tell me if this one is photosynthetic or not? Is there a way to tell other than by being able to ID it?

Dznuts007 · 02-20-2002, 02:00 AM

That yellow/orange one you have is the same kind I have. I bought the one that I have because it was the only one that was blooming at the LFS. According to what I've read and been told, it is not photosynthetic.
I feed mine finely crushed flakes, I then put the crushed flakes in a small container with water to suspend the flakes and then I pour the suspension into the water flow that leads towards the gorgonian. The little "hands" grab em up and eat em. It seems to me that if you feed em, more of the polyps come out for some food. Have fun!

They're really beautiful when they bloom...

karsco · 02-20-2002, 10:26 AM

Cyberchef the yellow gorgoania is a non-photosynthetic . I would place this gorgonia where you have strong water flow with very little light. If you do not algae will start to grow on the branches and the polyps will not open up. I have two red gorgonia sp. in my tank, i feed them esv freez dried phytoplankton and coral heaven from ipsf. I mix the food in a small container with tank water and feed the gorgonians directly with a turkey baster. I hope this helps!

Wrasse Man · 02-20-2002, 10:39 AM

Hey cyber!

Just from the photo's I would say no, they are not photosynthetic and should be fed with phytoplankton or some other form of food. I know some people who keep them without feedings, but they have very mature tanks, refugiums, and a bunch of small bugs. I think the gorgs are eating the bug larvae, but don't quote me on that.
Good luck with them, the yellow is not the easiest to keep alive, and be sure to keep it away from strong lighting. Unlike other gorgs, most of the non-photosynthetics do not produce an algicide in the flesh to keep the algae away. reason being is that the non-photo's come from deep water (generally) and do not have a threat of algae like the photsynthetics do.

HTH

fishinchick · 02-20-2002, 10:25 PM

(hope this works)

I attached (hopefully) a pic of the purple bush gorgonian I have. I have "Muriceopsis flavida" I believe. Its also called purple bush. I have seen that it IS photosynthetic and I have seen its NOT. I dose DT in the whole tank on a regular basis and every few days I directly feed the gorg, and other DT loving corals. He has doubled his size in the 4 months I have had him and is doing really nicely. If he was photo. would he not appear to like the DT, AND would he still 'bloom' after lights out if he were??? Odd.

Anwyay I hope the pic posts, heres hoping:

fishinchick · 02-20-2002, 10:29 PM

I DID IT - I DID IT - I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally it worked I got to attach a pic!!!!!! WOO HOOOOO

(Can you tell that its the little things that make me happy? - sad)

cyberchef · 02-21-2002, 01:21 AM

Thanks everyone for the responses. Congrats to Adrienne for getting the pic posted, nice Gorg. I have a few Gorgs and so far they are all doing good. Mine have all grown since I've gotten them except for the yellow one, but it's also the newest one. They seem to do/grow better right after I add calcium to the tank, I'm thinking about doing a Kalk drip but am still unsure. I use Kents Micro-Vert on a regular basis. Probably not as good as DT's but I may start getting live Phytoplankton fron Florida Aqua Farms on a regular basis. I'm also going to try and culture/raise the rotifers for food for the corals and gorgs.

Wrasse Man · 02-21-2002, 08:57 AM

Adrienne,
Yep, those are photsynthetic and they do very well! I think most if not all gorgs appreciate some type of feeding, whether it is directly-fed DT's or or a healthy population of tank-produced 'food'. The photsynthetics seem to gain some of their energy form the phtosynthetic zoox in their systems. I figure that if they didn't want to feed, they wouldn't have polyps. Sort of like anemonies, they need light, but love to have something to feed on to be healthy.

HTH