gorgonian

[dianeww]

Anyone have any experience with, or suggestions for, this guy:

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_1...ategory=4&category_search=63&root_parent_id=4

Try? Don't try? My aquarium has been running for a year and a half, and I have several successful soft corals: Huge hairy mushrooms, two toadstool leathers, big frogspawn, lots of smaller mushrooms (blue, red, green ricordia) .

I've never had a branching coral like this one, but it looks interesting. Advice?

 

[dorian965]

if you have a low light-strong flow area in your tank and you dose with phyto,marine snow, or simmilar coral food- you should be good. ive heard that they are pretty hardy but i have seen lots in different tanks that are suffering due to algae buildup.

 

[austinsdad]

I hear a toothbrush works well for algae buildup on these.

 

[MT79]

AFAIK those gorgonias are not photosynthetic and will require supplemental feedings. They utilize only plankton for all of their energy. A gorgonia that is both a filter-feeder and photosynthetic will be a lot easier to keep and will not require supplemental feedings. Here is an example- http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1524&N=0.
Good luck.

 

[dianeww]

Thank you, all...


I was curious because Saltwaterfish.com offered me one from their list of freebies for repeat customers. I did order it, and I am amazed at the size they sent! This thing is 8 inches tall, with 3 large branches which divide into at least 10-12 branches (am I making sense?) When all the little polyps come out, it's just gorgeous!


Thank you for your help....I do have Phytoplankton (Kent Marine ChromaMax), which I'll feed it (3 times a week?) . I can just add it to the tank, right, no target feeding necessary? Should i make sure I feed it when all the polyps are open?


I put it at the bottom of the tank, and there's a powerhead directed almost exactly at it. Good?

 

[angelscrx]

That is a beautiful gorgonian. Sounds like you got a good one and that your set it up right.

 

[flamingonhot]

Make sure you keep up the dosage. Only target feed every now and then.
They aren't that hard, but you have to make sure you have a few types of filter feeder foods available and you don't overdose.

 

[dianeww]

Make sure you keep up the dosage

don't overdose

I'm not sure I understand.

The only filter-feeding food I have is Kent Marine ChromaMax phytoplankton, and the instructions say to feed one drop per 50 gallons every other day. I have 75 gallons, and I thought I would try 2 drops 3x weekly. Will I have to target feed the gorgonian? There's a method people use with the bottom cut off a soda bottle, right?

My other corals are various mushrooms, anthelia, frogspawn, and two toadstool leathers. These don't filter feed, am I right? I'm becoming more coral-confused as I go!

By the way, the gorgonian is flourishing, is the prettiest non-fish I have in the tank right now ( except maybe the frogspawn, to which I'm partial)! I do want to keep it healthy, please all give more advice!!!

 

[angelscrx]

You can use a turkey baster to target feed. Put the two drop in a cup and add tank water. Suck it up in the baster and slowly spray the gorgonian. The other corals will like it too.

 

[dianeww]

OK, so I turkey-baster-spray the gorgonian with phyto-plankton mix. This obviously goes eveywhere in the tank. Will my other corals benefit?
C'mom, guys 'n' gals, I'm a newbie here!!! A year and a half is still newbie -ish, right?

 

[angelscrx]

Yes anything in the water column that can be food for the corals is good. Just don't over do it.