Red Gorgonian: Doomed or Alive?

['Ric]

Is Red Gorgonian one living thing, or a bunch of little ones? I just got a really nice specimen from modelrr's GB (thanks for the GB!) and need to know it it's ok or not as some things didn't survive shipment and the vendor needs to know.

 

A few clusters of the polyps on some branches come out, but there are branches which I have not seen any out yet. Since they are relatively soft, are they all one flesh, or will the branches with no polyp activity die off and take the rest with them??

 

Also, with the "rubber band" technique work with these types, or will they never attached. I had no luck sticking it to anything with superglue except my fingers.

 

'Ric

 

[madmax7774]

Judging by your pic, it's fine. Mine has been in my tank for a year, and I get a similar amount of white polyps. I used "Reef epoxy" to hold mine down. If you are not familier with it, you can get it at Home depot/Lowe's for $5 a tube. At the hardware store, it's called plumber's epoxy I think. I know it's made by Oatey.

John

[lanman]

Is Red Gorgonian one living thing, or a bunch of little ones? I just got a really nice specimen from modelrr's GB (thanks for the GB!) and need to know it it's ok or not as some things didn't survive shipment and the vendor needs to know.

 

A few clusters of the polyps on some branches come out, but there are branches which I have not seen any out yet. Since they are relatively soft, are they all one flesh, or will the branches with no polyp activity die off and take the rest with them??

 

Also, with the "rubber band" technique work with these types, or will they never attached. I had no luck sticking it to anything with superglue except my fingers.

 

'Ric

 

 

I got a yellow one for free from GARF with an order. It was a little slow to start putting out those polyps. There was an extra 'piece' in the package, which might have broken off (though I can't see where it came from). I glued it to a rock, and threw it in my small tank. The crabs aren't eating it, so I figure it must be alive - but it hasn't shown me any polyps yet. Might have to be patient.

 

bob

[lanman]

The 'frag' is now showing a couple of polyps. So I guess it's okay to superglue them!

 

bob

[dzekunoi]

No, it's doomed! Just give it to me!

 

Just kidding. Great gorgonian and in a good shape too!

[madmax7774]

Gorgonians are actually a lot tougher than I thought. I had a lot to learn about mine. When I first got it, it became coated in a slick algae, and I thought it had died. I liked the way it looked, and so I scrubbed the algae off with a toothbrush, and left it on the tank as a decoration. A few days later the polyps came back and it was good as new. every once in a while, I would accidentally break a piece off of it when aquascaping or cleaning, and I would just let it drift away, thinking it would get eaten or die. The pieces almost always lived, and some even grew. Since I switched to my new tank, The thing has really taken off. the base where I epoxied it to the rock has been sprouting new branches, and it is doing better than ever. One thing to keep in mind with gorgonians, is that the branches need to be free of algae for the polyps to extend. if it gets slimed (like mine does every so often) just scrub it with a toothbrush, and it will be good as new. also, mine likes medium light, and lots of flow. Your red one is a real beauty, I am going to have to get one of the red ones.

John

['Ric]

Thanks all for the advice! The thing was covered with white polyps yesterday. I, too, had a small piece that was handing on the edge of the base, so I glued to to a rock. No polyps yet on the little frag, but it's not turning black and nothing is eating it. Iniitially it had some hungry looking spectators - like vultures waiting for something to die - but they leave it alone now.

 

[lanman]

Thanks all for the advice! The thing was covered with white polyps yesterday. I, too, had a small piece that was handing on the edge of the base, so I glued to to a rock. No polyps yet on the little frag, but it's not turning black and nothing is eating it. Iniitially it had some hungry looking spectators - like vultures waiting for something to die - but they leave it alone now.

 

 

cute little guy! Don't count on him staying attached. Mine has come loose; going to have to figure out a better way to keep him in place while he grows.

 

bob

[jason the filter freak]

what kind of hermit is that?

['Ric]

what kind of hermit is that?

 

 

White Claw / Polkadotted Hermit (Phimochirus operculatus) - It has a polkadot red and white enlarged right claw, and blue eyes. This is probably the most active of the small hermits. Also eats algae and sifts through the substrate. Grows to about one inch. I bought mine here:

http://sealifeinc.net/catalog/product_info...b27edc9934de34d

 

My tank is very crab-heavy at the moment, so I would be interested in trading this guy, and/or a ruby or emerald crab for something else if you have any thing you want to part with. lmk-

 

'Ric

['Ric]

Warning: silly noob issues follow:

 

After the initial post at the top, the Red Gorgonian seemd to do pretty well, being covered in white polyps at times. Then, two things happened: First, I accidently dropped a glob of salt into the tank which cascaded straght to the bottom on it. Shortly thereafter my two Jawfish decided to build a condominium complex and completely burried it except for the outer inch or so of the taller branches. I pulled away the sand and pebbles from the front side of the Gorgonian, but an afraid that if I remove it or disturb the sand behind it, the Jawfish habitat will cave in (again.)

 

The "skin" on the branches seems a little thinner, and I haven't seen ANY polyps out since all this. If it's dead or dying, how can I tell? Is it ok to leave it in there dead to hold up the Jawfish lair, or will it rot and pollute the water?

 

'Ric :(

[rioreef]

I got a purple blade version from GARF about 9 years ago. It did ok with only two main stalks for years. I upgraded two years ago to a 90g with more light, and tons of flow. I believe the flow did the trick as well finally securing the small rock it was attached to onto a large one. Now, it has many branches and sways in the currents.

 

I will feed cyclopeeze and I can see the polyps catch the stuff and ingest it.

 

I can get the thing to purple up too after it takes on a grayish purple color. Either by the feeding method or certainly when I dose Logul's Iodine. It will 'shed' a layer that the current sweeps away and in two days, its an awesome deep purple again.

['Ric]

ahhhhhhhhmmm.... There might be something to that. I initially had it just rubberbanded to a pebble sitting on top of a large chunk of jadite. Then later I moved it down and buried the pebble in the sand at the base of the jadite. The lighting is probably the same, but the current at the lower altitude may be significantly less there. I'll have to think about this and figure out how to "plant" it up higher again.

 

Thanks,

'Ric

 

PS Let me know if you ever frag that purple blade! It sounds great.

[lanman]

I got a purple blade version from GARF about 9 years ago. It did ok with only two main stalks for years. I upgraded two years ago to a 90g with more light, and tons of flow. I believe the flow did the trick as well finally securing the small rock it was attached to onto a large one. Now, it has many branches and sways in the currents.

 

I will feed cyclopeeze and I can see the polyps catch the stuff and ingest it.

 

I can get the thing to purple up too after it takes on a grayish purple color. Either by the feeding method or certainly when I dose Logul's Iodine. It will 'shed' a layer that the current sweeps away and in two days, its an awesome deep purple again.

 

It attached to a rock? How many years does that take? My purple one shows NO signs of any growth at the base, after a month. Time to change the rubber bands.

 

bob