Does anyone have any advice on successfully keeping photosynthetic Gorgonians? They add the vertical element I am looking for in my system but I don't want to waste my time effort and money if they will just slowly recede away. I assume they have to be heavily supplemented with target feeding and require large amounts of current....
Photosynthetic Gorgonians
- Thread starter WhoDey
- Start date
I wouldn't say the heavily require supplemental feeding, but it couldn't hurt (unless you foul the water too much). I, as well as others I known, have successfully kept them without issues, you're right flow is key, but don't blast them with flow. Typically the prettier the gorgonians are not photosynthetic, so just make sure they really are photosynthetic, because the non-photo ones definitely need food outside of light.
I've kept the photosynthetic type with no supplementary feedings whatever. But, start with a good solid piece-no gaps in the "branches" otherwise that gives bacteria/algae a foothold. Just make sure they get enough flow that algae doesn't settle on it but not so much flow that the polyps don't extend.
I had gotten a frag of a purple ribbon gorgonian around 1999 or 2000 from garf. I loved that coral and traded away many frags over the years. If it got algae built up on it it would shed off a layer and be all nice and purple again, with tan polyps. I didnt ever feed it and although it was not a fast grower it was not terribly slow either and I kept it under all sorts of lighting over the years. I gifted it and some frags to my mothers Seahorse tank and somehow she spilled water on her power strip a few weeks ago and after the protection popped she went and plugged it right back in wet and the strip caught on fire. I got over the next day to clean up the tank and she left it off all night lost her horses and everything. I pulled the gorgs out put them in a bucket with no water for my small drive home and forgot them there. The next day they were dryed out. For the 9ish years I had it, it was a easy coral. It was a Pterogorgia sp. The lighting did'nt effect how well it did as much as the current did. It did not like to be blown over but needed good flow around it to help it shed as it needed to.
Good luck.
Good luck.
I've kept the purple gorgonian (something in the Pseudopterogorgia genus I think) in the past and they do better in higher flow conditions with moderately bright light. However, getting them to anchor as a frag can be somewhat challenging in those same turbulent conditions. Also, the higher flow will remove the waxy shedding they cast off periodically. They don't necessarily need food but I found some supplementary shotgun feeding with a food with varying particle sizes helped growth.
The fail safe way to anchor gorg frags is to frag them with some inner wood left. Gorgs have a center like a soft piece of wood just like lead in a pencil. First frag the branch off, then strip away the living tissue at the base of the frag up about 1/4"-1/2" but do not strip off the woody part, be very careful not to cut into it. Then drill a small hole into the rock you want to attach the frag to and fill it up with super glue gel, then stick the frag with the woody part sticking out into the hole. I could frag that way and be able to stick the frags right into any current with no issues.
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