Feeding of this gorgonion? (photo)

Angel*Fish

cats and large squashes
Thanks in advance for your help. I tried to be succinct :)

A) Is there any chance this coral has zooxanthellae?

B) Target Feeding Brine Shrimp
1-- When I target feed baby brine the tentacles close up -- I think around the food. But they must swallow fairly quickly because they are open again fairly soon. Can you give an opinion on whether this coral is feeding?

2-- I read in your book that some may regurgitate the food later. Does this look like the type that does that?


Close up - these colors are pretty accurate reddish brown w/yellow polyps
5247125gorgonion_close_up.jpg


Entire coral - note: normally all the polyps are open
5247125_gorg_with_fish.jpg


Thanks again
 
Very small particulate foods like oyster eggs or Golden Pearls (smallest size) or liquefied foods, or dry foods crushed to a powder. Nauplii are probably too motile and can swim away from this gorgonians capture response.
 
I don't know. It appears to be an Indo-Pac gorgonian, but I have seen ones that look from the photo to be similar to ones that were sort of comonly available a few years back and almost seemed to be zooxanthellate by the responses of those who purchased them. But, I can't ID that gorgonian from the photo and do not know if it has zoox or not. IF it does, then there is a much better chance of survival.
 
The branch above in the first pic with closed polyps looks more definite purple and not reddish brown.
 
As for my gorgonian pictured in first post above. Not sure about the photosynthetic issue but it is now eating like a pig!! It l-o-v-e-s frozen cyclopeeze. I can see the food grabbed by the polyps & since they are practically transparent (I'm thinking no zooxanthellae from the appearance) the traveling of the red food down to the "stem" is observable. The polyps are now way more extended than in photos above (need to pry the camera from my husband). This coral acts like it's gonna be fine. I also feed Artemia nauplii & oyster eggs. I guess my question now is will these foods be adequate for it's health?
 
Based on what I can see in your pic I have the same Gorgonian as you, mantisagogo. I obtained mine as a small frag from another reefkeeper. Mine is thriving on a combination of cyclopeeze and strong lighting, as are my other Gorgonians (Plexaurella, Pseudoplexaura and Pterogorgia spp.)
All of them are photosynthetic. :)
 
Gary,
Thanks for your post. I just found it as I forgot to subscribe to this thread. I hope you find this post :)

Photosynthetic...ok!

I'll check your website or photo gallery to see if you've got photos of your others. This coral is great - I'm now hooked on gorgonions!

You say you got yours as a frag...mine came from LFS. I'd like to frag it eventually. Do you know if I would just slice it & glue to a rock? What about the wound on the mother coral- it should just heal?

Anyway it just keeps growing & it has now occurred to me to wonder how big it will get???

Here's a more recent photo...

5247125pink_fish_.jpg
 
Funny you should post this today, Marie. I just came home from work and I was admiring this same Gorgonian in my aquarium. It's beautiful.
To frag it you will need to cut a branch with a pair of sharp scissors. Strip away the flesh on the bottom of the new frag until you have the woody twig-like core sticking out aprox. 1/2" from the fleshy part. (This procedure is similar to stripping electrical wire of it's plastic protective cover.) Generously cover the twiggy part in super glue gel and insert into a small hole in the rockwork. The parent colony should heal up very quickly on it's own. Tip: it's best to make frags that are 3-4" or less so it is not top heavy in the water current.
 
Thanks for the help. I've never been to a frag swap at the club here... maybe now I'll have something cool to swap :D
 
That sure turned out to be true! I posted a photo & have had instant interest...

Your hints about LOTS OF LIGHT ;) finally sunk in so I left all the lights on today I can't believe the polyp expansion! Beautiful -- thanks again. Actually all the corals looked better ( I've been too lazy to install more ventilation to run the VHO's & the halides together...)

Anyhow....do you know if each frag should be from a tip or can one stalk be clipped and made into numerous frags?
 
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