Gorgonian ID?

dive girl

dive girl

Member
Hi, my name is Ann Marie and I'm a rescuer. :)
I know I'm not supposed to be a rescuer and it try not to do it to often but sometimes I just can't help it. So far, the blueberry gorgonian, a black sun coral, and a orange sun coral.
I love the ocean and the creatures in it and it hurts me to see when those animals aren't cared for properly. I went to a LDS not long ago and saw 10 small seahorses in a tank with peppermint shrimp. They claimed they were captive bread but couldn't tell me the breed. They were also $40 each. I went in about a two weeks later and I could see the dead bodies that the shrimp were now eating. I got mad and said something on my way out.
This week I was in a different LDS that had 2 seahorses. I asked him what kind they were. He said that he wasn't sure but they were captive raised from Hawaii. They were about $40 each. I asked if they were eating frozen mysis. He said that they were and that I would be hard pressed to find wild caught horses for sale anymore. I just snorted and walked out.
Do these people really believe the crap that they are spouting or are they think that everyone is stupid?
 
nanomantis

nanomantis

Member
I am assuming LDS stands for something less than pleasent...
And I don't understand your rescuer thing? Why arn't we suppose to do it?
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
Originally Posted by NanoMantis
http:///forum/post/2979452
I am assuming LDS stands for something less than pleasent...
And I don't understand your rescuer thing? Why arn't we suppose to do it?
I meant LFS (Local Fish Store) not LDS (Local Dive Shop), wrong forum. Oops!

One of the books I've read cautioned about being a rescuer because it can just propagate the problem and could bring home an illness to our tanks. If the LFS is able to sell a blueberry gorg and make a profit then next time they'll get another no matter if it dies shortly after or not. I've haggled for the pricing for the items that I thought were on deaths door that I might be able to save, getting them for little or nothing.
I don't know enough about fish to have rescued one of those like Rynka did. But I can understand the feeding needs of sun cups and can try and spend the extra time to feed them.
 
sculpin

sculpin

Member
There is some prudence that needs to be taken when saving critters. Some things are near impossible to revive or are so challenging to keep that it's not even worth trying. I've saved a few coral but it takes a solid system and a watchful eye. However when it does end up working out it's exciting to see it progress and heal.
Here are a few that I got for cheap or free that survived-
Stylophora before (crappy pic but you can see the dead spot of the top)-

After (over 3 months I think)

Blastomusa before (it almost died completely but started sprouting new heads just before)-

After

So good luck and don't feel bad about trying to save coral, just make sure you do your homework before you bring something home.
Sculpin
 
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