Violet Gorgonian

[Kolognekoral]

Here are two shots of a relatively new gorgonian I purchased. It remains open aboput 20 from 24 hours and responds to zooplankton, such as cyclop-eeze and fish paste. May, also, consume phyto, but I am unsure. Kept in medium current, slower than for Dendros. A frag seems to be taking well in a bit less current.

Species or genus is not known to me. The knots on the colony may be from a commensal. Often seen on this species in the LFS.

 

[dendro982]

Take a look here, for me they look similar , but I don't have it. Mopsella spp.

The main page for the visual gorgonians ID is here.
The best I could find, so far.

 

[Kolognekoral]

I found an interesting site with fotos. I have no idea how accurate the IDs are, but it is a reference point.
http://www.poppe-images.com/

 

[KUDA]

I had that same gorgonian. Those knots on mine have small openings on the bottom where a feather like appendage comes out, so I believe that they are barnacles.

 

[Kreeger1]

Kolognekoral

how is yours doing for you still? I fragged 5 different branches of mine and all seems to be going well with it. I'd say its open 50% of the time though wish it was open more
Erik

 

[Kolognekoral]

Erik,

mine is going strong and I believe it is growing. The one frag is doing very well, but I'm unsure if it has built a foot, as this part is hidden. It is open for longer periods as the mother colony, which seems to be open now mainly evening or when I introduce frozen foods, such as artemia or my fish mix. It definitely responds to something edible in the water, opening within 2-3 minutes at most fish feedings. Colour is excellent and polyp extension seems to be as full as possible. Intersetingly, the colony seems to open in waves, not all at once, starting from the tips and moving toward the basal parts.

I still haven't managed to see any barnacle feathers, but my eyes are not what they should be!

 

[Kolognekoral]

I just received the book Soft Corals and Seas Fans (Fabricius and Alderslade) from AIMS and believe this violet gorgonia to belong to the genus Paraplexaura. Other similar genera have either prominent calyces for the polyps or the polyps are non-retractile, while leads me to believe this genus is the most logical. Unfortunately, this book does not go beyond the genus in identification.

Interesting reading as it makes one realize how little is known and documented about these octocorals.