need some help with gorgonians!

[nemofish2217]

i was thinking about maybe getting a few gorgonians for my 14 BC, and i've never really kept these guys. basically, i am mainly curious of a few things:

1. How hard are they to keep?
2. How do you go about feeding them?
3. What conditions do they like? (flow, light, etc.)

 

[Kannin]

i just got one a month ago... high flow, low light. i target feed mine every other day with phytoplankton

 

[SDguy]

First, you want to get photosynthetic ones. They require good light, and good flow, but don't need to be fed multiple times per week like non photosynthetic species. Second, most gorgs are carnivores, AFAIK, so phyto doesn't do anything. Thy need zooplankton...tiny, tiny pieces or animal matter. Cyclopeeze works great.

What's a "14 BC"?

 

[nemofish2217]

thanks.... it means Bio Cube 14 gallon. How do you know if the gorgonian is photosynthetic?

 

[SDguy]

Usually, they have brownish polyps...bright white or bright colored polyps are usually heterotrophic.

 

[nemofish2217]

are the non- photosythetic that much harder to keep?

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9857238#post9857238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nemofish2217
are the non- photosythetic that much harder to keep?

All require constant feeding. Some easier than others (yellow or red ones with large white polyps are pretty easy....species like the "blueberry polyp" are pretty much goners in captivity). Either way, the influx of food in a tank as small as yours would quickly ruin your water quality.

 

[nemofish2217]

so. i should not even try to put any except the photosythetic in my Bio cube?

 

[Tang Salad]

Yes, that is the general concensus. Unless you can commit to feeding it a few times a week from now until forever.

If you had a much larger tank, and a very mature system, you might stand a better chance at keeping non-photosynthetic varieties. But a small cube tank would make the challenge even more challenging.

 

[SptfireXIV]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9857322#post9857322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nemofish2217
so. i should not even try to put any except the photosythetic in my Bio cube?

IMO the photosynthetic gorgs are much more enjoyable anyway. They sway with the current whereas most of the non-photosynthetic gorgs are very rigid.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

your photo gorgs are usually tan/purple/pinkish with tan/purple/white/pinkish polyps

there is actually a blue polyped photo with a tan body

beyond that any of those really cool ones with the purple/white/red/orange/yellow polyps and usually any gorg that is blue/orange/red/yellow bodied, are non photosynthetic

the tricky ones are like purple with white polyps and purple with purple polyps. if it is from the redsea = non photo, but the altantic ones are. after you've seen several examples of each you can tell them apart (our local LFS has a huge redsea connection, so lots of doomed gorgs and dendros show up often. I've watche dall kinds die for 10 years now = sad way to get an education)


my gorgs actually grow a little the day or two after spot feeding them a bunch of meat with the pumps off.