Gorgs and seahorses

[meowzer]

I was just looking over the seahorse compatibility chart (AGAIN) and do you know it lists the yellow gorgonian as a level 4 threat???? I don't get that one, I see that in a lot of seahorse tank pics, and that has also been recommended to me for hitching....Anyone know why it could be a threat??

 

[teresaq]

My guess would be they dont live long in our tanks. thus the failure to thrive part of level 4

 

[meowzer]

I thought the threat level had to do with the danger to the seahorse though???

 

[teresaq]

4 reads 4 - these specimens either have no business in a seahorse tank, or should not be kept in captive systems due to failure to thrive.

 

[meowzer]

Hmmm, I guess all the research I've been doing, and all the suggestions from seahorse people, and others, are all wrong. I have been looking at pic after pic of seahorse tanks on here, and I would have to guess that more than half of them have a gorgonian. Maybe, just maybe....this one threat level could be a little off....anyone agree, or disagree???

 

[teresaq]

I do not think its because they are a threat!! they dont live very long in home aquariums. I have had a few, and they die very easy. Yes some people have had sucess but many do not. No they wont hurt your horses if you can keep them alive

 

[novahobbies]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2825523
I do not think its because they are a threat!! they dont live very long in home aquariums. I have had a few, and they die very easy. Yes some people have had sucess but many do not. No they wont hurt your horses if you can keep them alive
This is exactly right. Most Gorgonians are non-photosynthetic, so they NEED dosings of phytoplankton and even zooplankton in order to thrive. Also, they tend to do poorly in seahorse tanks because people usually think seahorse tanks = low (or no!!) flow. Gorgonians must have some water flow over them to prevent algae from growing on their hides, and choking them out. I've lost a gorgonian to just this problem, and have a second that I almost lost! When cyano starts to grow on the gorgonian, it "eats" away at the gorg's outer covering. Once that happens, the branch is pretty much a goner. You can clean the cyano off the stalk, but repeated treatments of this are almost as invasive as the initial problem, so it's better to treat the source of the problem by keeping a decent water flow on 'em. I can also tell you from experience that my gorgs were never happier than when I did that test with the Koralia powerhead. Those babies were out and happy so much more than w/o the powerhead. Only drawback is you have to turn the p-head off when you feed them, otherwise the current blows the plankton away too quickly.

 

[meowzer]

I know they're non-photosynthetic...I feed them zooplankton, marine snow, and invertebrate target food. I hope that will work, cause like I said, the gorg was suggested to me...I really had no idea about it. I was told it was easy to care for also, so I just have to make sure they get enough food....and probably won't buy anymore.

 

[morval]

i have a few purple gorgonian frags if any one want to trade somthing. unlike the yellow the purple is fully photosynthetic no fedding neccessary and it does well under all lighting. i dont belive they are as rigid as yellow gorg tho so i dont know if that would effect how the horses hitch to it as i dont keep them myself. shoot me a pm if interested and ill post a pic of the frags for ya

 

[spanko]

Get the photosynthetic types, Plexaurella, Pseudoterogorgia.