Purple gorgonian care?

[nanomania]

Heybguys i have a hobbyist who is into fishing business and so sells these beautiful gorgonians but iv read that these just dont survive in captivity. Im from india, so i know that photo synthetic gorgonians are not available here, but he sent me this pic and its hard to note that wether these are photosynthetic or non photosynthetic.. here is the pic...

 

[Ron Reefman]

I snorkel the Florida Keys a lot and there are a lot of gorgonians. Near shore in shallow flats they are mostly photosynthetic varieties. But the purple, non-photosynthetic version is common there as well. We also have them in the Gulf of Mexico along the SW coast of Florida where I live.

Out on the big reefs (most are a few miles off to the southeast of the Keys) there are a lot of non-photosynthetic gorgonians that are commonly called sea fans. They are 100% protected and the fines for taking one are substantial. I can't say I,ve seen any other non-photosynthetic gorgonians in the Keys. But then I don't dive, I snorkel, and seeing smaller non-photosynthetic gorgonians may just be beyond my vision abilities.

My best guess is that those may be less purple than they look in the photo and that they are photosynthetic. The purple gorgonian that is NOT photosynthetic is a skinny main stalk some have vertical ribs or ridges that run up and down and some don't (they are 2 different species). The polyps are white. They like higher flow and every so often, maybe once every month or two, they shed the outer layer of purple to get rid of any algae that may have attached to it.

As for keeping the purple, non-photosynthetic gorgonian, I've had some short term luck, like a year or 2, but never long term. I've had better luck with the other NPS gorgonians that are yellow and red which I've had long term, just like most other corals. But I do spot feed, I tend to feed heavy and I shut off all pumps for 10 to 15 minutes when I feed, then fire up just internal flow for a minute to get things stirred up again and then back off for 10 more minutes and more spot feeding. The photosynthetic gorgonians are easy. I'm developing a 75g hexagon tank to keep 4 to 6 species of gorgonians so I can try and keep a few Flamingo Tongue snails that only eat gorgonians.

Here is a purple gorgonian that washed up on a SW Florida beach during a storm attached to a clam. It is still alive in my tank, but it does struggle.





Here is a close up of it in my tank.

 

[nanomania]

I snorkel the Florida Keys a lot and there are a lot of gorgonians. Near shore in shallow flats they are mostly photosynthetic varieties. But the purple, non-photosynthetic version is common there as well. We also have them in the Gulf of Mexico along the SW coast of Florida where I live.

Out on the big reefs (most are a few miles off to the southeast of the Keys) there are a lot of non-photosynthetic gorgonians that are commonly called sea fans. They are 100% protected and the fines for taking one are substantial. I can't say I,ve seen any other non-photosynthetic gorgonians in the Keys. But then I don't dive, I snorkel, and seeing smaller non-photosynthetic gorgonians may just be beyond my vision abilities.

My best guess is that those may be less purple than they look in the photo and that they are photosynthetic. The purple gorgonian that is NOT photosynthetic is a skinny main stalk some have vertical ribs or ridges that run up and down and some don't (they are 2 different species). The polyps are white. They like higher flow and every so often, maybe once every month or two, they shed the outer layer of purple to get rid of any algae that may have attached to it.

As for keeping the purple, non-photosynthetic gorgonian, I've had some short term luck, like a year or 2, but never long term. I've had better luck with the other NPS gorgonians that are yellow and red which I've had long term, just like most other corals. But I do spot feed, I tend to feed heavy and I shut off all pumps for 10 to 15 minutes when I feed, then fire up just internal flow for a minute to get things stirred up again and then back off for 10 more minutes and more spot feeding. The photosynthetic gorgonians are easy. I'm developing a 75g hexagon tank to keep 4 to 6 species of gorgonians so I can try and keep a few Flamingo Tongue snails that only eat gorgonians.

Here is a purple gorgonian that washed up on a SW Florida beach during a storm attached to a clam. It is still alive in my tank, but it does struggle.





Here is a close up of it in my tank.

So is mine a photosynthetic? i dont want to buy a nps, had a tank crash long back coz of it. I dont mind feeding it once a week though. Can i feed it jbl plankton pur or jbl koralfluid?

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm not a marine biologist, but I'm 98% sure that the gorgonian in your photo is photosynthetic. And it will take most any kind of fine particulate food. I just think they are happier getting some food because they tend to come from reefs that have higher nutrient content. The shallow flats off some islands in the Keys are absolutely littered with gorgonians. That's why the state set the collection limit at 8 gorgonians (the zoa ricordia limit is 5 polyps). And They didn't set any limit on size. I saw a 6' tall candelabra gorgonian with a trunk at the base that was 4" thick... I just wish I had a tank big enough! LOL!

 

[nanomania]

I'm not a marine biologist, but I'm 98% sure that the gorgonian in your photo is photosynthetic. And it will take most any kind of fine particulate food. I just think they are happier getting some food because they tend to come from reefs that have higher nutrient content. The shallow flats off some islands in the Keys are absolutely littered with gorgonians. That's why the state set the collection limit at 8 gorgonians (the zoa ricordia limit is 5 polyps). And They didn't set any limit on size. I saw a 6' tall candelabra gorgonian with a trunk at the base that was 4" thick... I just wish I had a tank big enough! LOL!

I jus bought tge purple one, but it has not opened yet. Uploading the tank pic, but will send closeup once it opens up. The polyps are blue in colour though.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Blue polyps? The only gorgonian I know with blue polyps is a blueberry sea fan and it is not photosynthetic. Have you tried to google gorgonians or look at some coral websites to see if you can find anything that looks like the one you have?

 

[nanomania]

Blue polyps? The only gorgonian I know with blue polyps is a blueberry sea fan and it is not photosynthetic. Have you tried to google gorgonians or look at some coral websites to see if you can find anything that looks like the one you have?

I think its purple

 

[nanomania]

Can u tell if its nps or ps?

 

[DanConnor]

I'm not sure but I think photosynthetic. Looks like maybe a pale Plexaura flexuosa

 

[nanomania]

I'm not sure but I think photosynthetic. Looks like maybe a pale Plexaura flexuosa

Well i saw the pics of plexaura flexosa, they hace brown polyps and purple thick body, mine has blueish body with purple polyps and thinner body. The polyps open in the evening about for an hour and then iv seen them open in dark i dono howlong as i sleep. Its been 5 days as of now.

 

[gallegos]

I have one. It is photosynthetic. I still feed mine to keep her happy

 

[nanomania]

I have one. It is photosynthetic. I still feed mine to keep her happy

What colour are the polyps?

 

[zeeGGee]

Blue Gorgonian here...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ron Reefman]

Blue Gorgonian here...

That one is NON-photosynthetic. Any idea where it came from?