squiddly September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 Well, looks like I may have to move my gorgonia in order to protect it from a very naighty little arrow crab. Moving the gorgonia will leave very little in the tank that I would be upset if the arrow crab ate. All other critters are growing at about the same rate he is, so he will likely leave it all alone (or at least that's the hope). So, I wish to move Mr. Gorgonia into my 24 gallon aquapod soon as I stabilize it. How should I go about this daunting task?
dzekunoi September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 Well, looks like I may have to move my gorgonia in order to protect it from a very naighty little arrow crab. Moving the gorgonia will leave very little in the tank that I would be upset if the arrow crab ate. All other critters are growing at about the same rate he is, so he will likely leave it all alone (or at least that's the hope). So, I wish to move Mr. Gorgonia into my 24 gallon aquapod soon as I stabilize it. How should I go about this daunting task? Make sure you do not expose it to air. Submerse a speciment container, put gorgonia into it, remove it and transfer to another tank. Gorgonias can dye if they catch air in their sceleton. Good luck!
squiddly September 28, 2006 Author September 28, 2006 Make sure you do not expose it to air. Submerse a speciment container, put gorgonia into it, remove it and transfer to another tank. Gorgonias can dye if they catch air in their sceleton. Good luck! Yow! I'm glad I asked! I will do this. Yow! I'm glad I asked! I will do this. I done did this.... hopefully the gorgonia will be very happy without being picked at.
Pat_13 September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 I was not aware of this either. Is it just some? I have fragged my purple gorgonia and, out of water, cut the base and glued to a rock. It was out of the water for about 10 minutes, was I just lucky?
mogurnda September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 I am not sure where the idea about not exposing gorgonians to air comes from. I've had 7-8 species, and fragged and mounted all of them out of the water at one time or another. It's how Sprung and Delbeek recommend doing it as well. As far as mounting gorgonians, the key to happiness is providing a good base, in my experience. They tend to be tall and clumsy, and get knocked over in the current if they are not mounted well. My favorite way is to make an inverted cone out of epoxy putty, with a deep hole in the top just big enough for the base of the gorg. Let it set, and then glue the base of the gorg into the hole with super glue gel. The tissue should be cut away from the axis (the skeleton) where it will be in the hole, or it will rot. It will then form a new holdfast over the epoxy.
emissary September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 Agreement on the solid base, good perpendicular water flow. Air exposure is irrelevant (in my experience).
dzekunoi September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 Air info comes from saltwaterfish.com - they ship Gorgonia w/o any air and recommended me to do transfer as described. Hm, all that pain was for nothing!
Charlie97L September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 there's varying schools of thought on the air thing. i've heard it for sponges, sea stars and now gorgonians. i think there's a *chance* they can get air in their systems, but it doesn't always happen. for linckias, i know, they can get air in their vascular systems and not be able to expel it, like an embolism, but i don't think it's that common. sponges, i believe, are more susceptible. i don't know about gorgonians. they are so delicate, probably many deaths from lack of proper conditions are attributed to strange things. that's the same idea with sponges and hard to care for sea stars... the more sensitive the creature, the more reasons to look for a cause of death other than proper conditions. if that makes sense.
dbartco September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 I think it just matters what species. Maybe a photosynthetic vs. non? The nonphotosynthetic I have always seen carefully done underwater, and the others just pulled out.
squiddly September 28, 2006 Author September 28, 2006 I think it just matters what species. Maybe a photosynthetic vs. non? The nonphotosynthetic I have always seen carefully done underwater, and the others just pulled out. Very interesting. I have put the gorgonia in the small tank, burying his "trunk" in the sand and providing a flat rock behind him for support. His filter feathers have come back out, so I assume he is doing ok. No arrow crabs in the small tank to attack him.
mogurnda September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 Very interesting. I have put the gorgonia in the small tank, burying his "trunk" in the sand and providing a flat rock behind him for support. His filter feathers have come back out, so I assume he is doing ok. No arrow crabs in the small tank to attack him. That "trunk" needs to be glued to a rock. The buried tissue will rot.
squiddly September 28, 2006 Author September 28, 2006 That "trunk" needs to be glued to a rock. The buried tissue will rot. Thanks. I will pick up a rock and some glue.
mogurnda September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 No problem. It seems natural to bury them, but they live anchored to rocks.
Pat_13 September 28, 2006 September 28, 2006 That "trunk" needs to be glued to a rock. The buried tissue will rot. Make sure you scrape away the tissue that is going in the rock with glue or it will rot as well.
Charlie97L October 2, 2006 October 2, 2006 wow, great tips everyone! i'm looking forward to getting mine from morgunda.
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