Gorgonians

[jjspati]

Im looking into purchasing some gorgonians for my tank. Would it be destroyed by a copperband butterfly or angelfish such as a queen angel? If not, what will eat them or ruin them. Plus, how important are lighting conditions for them. I have a single 20 Watt 50/50 tube lighting a 45gal. Thanks for all input.

 

[pudd'ntang]

Gorgonians are one of the most difficult corals to raise. They require intense lighting and slow current. From reading your post, I don't feel you have enough lighting to support a Gorgonian. - Someone else chim in

 

[strinalsh]

Some gorgonians (e.g. sea fans) are very difficult to keep in aquaria because it is difficult to provide them with adequate amounts of the foods they need, find gorgonians that have zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae in their tissues) this will provide for much of their energy needs.
Such photosynthetic gorgonians are quite hardy and grow well in a healthy reef aquarium.
And while I agree with the previous post that your lighting needs to increase significantly I disagree that they favor a slow moving current.
Gorgonians need moderate to strong current as they tend to "wax over" and this wax layer will shed on it's own and the surface of the Gorgonian will be bright and clean.
I've never heard of them being picked at by the fish you mentioned but perhaps some else has.

 

[pudd'ntang]

Strinalsh - My gorgonian, is near the top of my tank and closes up anytime a crab comes near it. I don't see it growing, in fact some of the tentacles are not coming out all of the way unless I feed it daily, the gorgonian is pink in color, it looks like a pink polys (so you can see I really don't know what I have)It also looks like a rock when the tentacles are not coming out. ID please!

 

[strinalsh]

Sounds like you have Muriceopsis flavida, a Spiny Gorgonian. These corals do best when they are placed in strong water flow. They can catch food as it is swept past them in the current. They are easy to feed on crushed flake food and frozen brine shrimp.
I would glue them to a rock near a current and you don't have to expose any tissue before you do it either.

 

[burnnspy]

Save your money and spare the livestock.
BurnNSpy

 

[jjspati]

Thanks for the input guys. Say i do get the correct lighting required and the right environment. Will any fish start picking at them? since queen angels do eat polyps.