Doomed gorgonian?

[Nick_Northern]

Hi all, just recieved a couple of nps gorgonians from a friends tank whose angel had developed a taste for them. One is red, the other yellow and I think they are Diogorgia.

Both have been in the tank less than 24hours at this point but yellow started to open after a few hours, albeit probably only around 20% of the polyps are out, hoping this one will survive given target feeding.

I have noticed that the red appears to be losing tissue from the base up (photo to follow), is there anything I can do to help this one? It hasn't shown any polyps yet either which is concerning.

I have read up on the GARF website and am going to mix my own food with blended flake, brine/mysis and reefplus. GARF recommended feeding at least twice a week so I was going to aim for 3 or 4 but I have seen other sources saying they need more or less continual feeding throughout the day?

I have a softie tank and have placed them in the most shaded/high flow corners I can find. Water params are Temp 25-26C / pH 8.3 / KH 8 / Mag 1230 / Calc 440 / ammo-nitri 0 / Nitrate & phos undetectable (sucked up by chaeto and a bit of cyano/hair algae in the sump)

Personally I would not have bought these knowing the care requirements but given they were angel food otherwise I want to at least do as much as I can for them if its not too late.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Nick

 

[Nick_Northern]

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[Nick_Northern]

Apologies for massive photo, phone issues...

 

[Moort82]

I don't think they are doomed. They aren't easy but are one of the easier nps gorgs. Flow and feeding are the important things and you seem to have read up on them so probably know enough already. They have bigger polyps which makes feeding them easier so you don't have to feed as often. It's been awhile since I kept them so I'll let someone who still does advise on what and how often to feed.

 

[Nick_Northern]

Thanks, there are more polyps out now on the yellow one and it seems to be taking food. Have been working from home so able to feed at least twice a day in an effort to help it recover but this is not sustainable from a time or water quality perspective going forward so hoping I can drop it to one feed a day or every other day.

The red one has still not shown any polyps and appears to be losing tissue at the end of one of its branches now in addition to at the base. it does appear to have a fine layer of algae on it, some of which I tried to scrape off gently with a toothbrush. I have heard stories of them releasing toxins when they break down so I'd be keen to know at what point I should be removing this one from the tank assuming there are no options for helping in out.

 

[Moort82]

I've not come across them polluting a tank anymore than other species dying but running carbon should help mop a lot of this up. With nps if it is really weak then it won't expend the energy stretching it's polyps out. You see this with sun corals where they have been starved so much, even placing food on the polyps doesn't illicit much of a feeding response. So it might be a case of this with the red or alternatively it isn't opening up because it doesn't sense the right kind of food in the water. Either way I'd probably give it a chance or make a call depending on how it deteriorates.