Photosynthetic Gorgonian

hunt

hunt

Active Member
My LFS has some in stock for 20 bucks each and i almost got one but talked myself out of it. I cant find anything on google soo, What are the care requirments of these things?
Thanks (in advance) Hunt
 
indy2009

indy2009

Member

Can I keep gorgonians?
If you have a fully-fledged reef tank and you obtain a healthy and suitable specimen, yes.
Many different kinds of gorgonians make their way into captivity, so be sure to confirm with your supplier that the gorgonian you buy is photosynthetic and a good candidate for aquarium care.
Many gorgonians ship badly:

  • Don’t buy specimens with any sign of an exposed skeleton, unless you’re an expert

  • Ensure the coral is firmly connected to a base rock
    Frags created through captive propagation are the best choice for new gorgonian keepers, although the variety is rather limited
All gorgonians require strong water currents – for feeding, and to shed the waxy film which helps protect them against invasion by algae and other small life forms. Their bodies will flex as the water moves back and forth, so ideally use a wavemaker or other device to change the direction of tank currents and to create turbulence.
Some reef keepers are experimenting with tanks providing strong laminar (one-way) flow for non-photosynethetic gorgonians but turbulence is better for the shallow water photosynthetic gorgonians. Put your gorgonian in the most turbulent area of the tank!
Lighting is important, and can be slightly tricky. Gorgonians don’t need the brightest light, which is handy since they grow so tall. But they do require strong lighting: sufficient high-output T5 flourescents or indirect metal halide lighting. If keeping directly under metal halides, your best bet is to start the gorgonian in a darker area of the tank and move it towards the light over a period of days.
Warning: Gorgonians produce sweeper tentacles that will sting other corals. Keep them a safe distance from other tankmates, and consider fragging or cutting back large specimens if you see the scars of aggression on their neighbors.
What do gorgonians eat?
Most gorgonians can capture small food particles in their polyps, and you may see these extended when you feed your fish. A few gorgonian species seem to eat nothing in captivity, though they may absorb nutrition through some other method.
Good lighting and the by-products of feeding the fish is enough to sustain commonly-kept photosynthetic gorgonians. If you want to experiment further, try live zooplankton or frozen Cyclopeeze.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

They need REALLY srong water flow and lots of coral food...which means water changes. However I thought they were non-photosynthetic coral.
It seems some are and some are not...
 
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