yellow whip...

[snatchbak]

I bought this yellow gorgonian about a month ago and as time goes by I see the white polyps opening less and less.
I usually feed cyclopees, I also use some other multi-coral food.
What exactly should I be feeding this coral?
Do I need to target feed it?
I usually just dump the food in the tank and let the koralia cycle the food around. Is this adequate?
I currently have the powerhead almost directly pointed at it... so its in a high-flow area. Is that too much flow?

Has anyone ever had a problem with a fish harrassing a gorgonian?
My bi-color blenny frequently nimbles on it... I'm assuming its because there is algae growth on it. Is this part of the problem with the polyps not opening as often?
Maybe the polyps feed when the lights are off...
My buddy thinks that the gorgonian doesn't look as healthy as it did before. He says its scrony looking now.
Any info would be awesome...
Thanks in advance.

[parkpark]

algae on your gorg will kill it most definately

[snatchbak]

There is no visible algae. I just see me blenny picking at the gorgonian.
How do I know if its going to die or not? What are some signs? I don't want a decaying coral in my tank.
I tried feeding it today but did not see any polyps open.
Suggestions...

[Gary Majchrzak]

the bicolor blenny is a (very secretive) coral and clam nipper- I'd get rid of it.

is your gorgonian the non-photosynthetic Diodogorgia nodulifera ? (do a google using this name).

If so it relies on feedings to survive. If the blenny keeps the gorgs polyps closed the coral will starve to death. Try feeding the gorg at night after the fish has gone to sleep.

[dendro982]

Can you post a photo or take a look at visual ID page here (http://www.reeflex.net/kategorie/67.html) and see if your gorgonian is named here?

Diodogorgia nodulifera, yellow morph, is usually listed as yellow finger gorgonian, or knobby, but not whip. It has thick branches, 1/8" - 1/4" in diameter (3-5mm).

All sea whip gorgonians, that I have seen in LFS (few, 4 maybe) were very thin, had finest polyps.

So far I have only 2 bits of information on sea whip gorgonians:

1. Sorry, can't find link, but it's here, at RC: Elicella (see photo on ID website) if it stops to open to eat and starts decline, then it is very difficult to stop that. Information from Jens K., if I remember right.

2. Probably Leptogorgia miniata, mine is red, but I have seen similar pale orange too. 1-1.5 mm (1/16") in diameter, thin branches, polyps are only on 2 rows at the sides of branch, not covering all surface.
That one were losing tissue in moderately-high flow, recovered in medium-low flow, that killed red diodogorgia (same species, as yellow). Was able to grow back peeling tissue on branches, and after cutting off dead ends of branches, they healed. Survived on less frequent feeding, than diodogorgia.
Much more sensitive to water quality and red cyano (dinoflagellates?), than diodogorgia and is prone to accumulating debris on branches.

In both cases I used mouth-sized food (you may need some magnification, $1 4+ eyeglasses, digital camera with macro mode, Optivizor), zooplankton and enriched fish food, not phytoplankton only.

Up to 800 microns for diodogorgia:cyclop-eese, but better of smaller size . I'm using small parts after washing mysis, Marine Cuisine, frozen Reef Plankton, time from time frozen rotifers, baby brine or cyclops, but mostly dried cyclop-eeze and ZoPlan. Also as an addition, not always, ESV dried phytoplankton and Shellfish Diet.

~50-100 microns food for red sea whip, mainly Hikari First Bites, could be Argent Labs powdered food for fry. ZoPlan, washed particles from frozen enriched fish food.

Feeding better made continuous, small portions every time, or at least 5 tines a day in amounts, sufficient to feed most mouths.

Red sea whip, compared to red diodogorgia (on continuous photos):
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Other%20gorgonians/smDec2_07x.jpg http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Other%20gorgonians/smDec2_07v.jpg
Closeup, correspondingly:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Other%20gorgonians/smDec2_07zz.jpg http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/gorgAug29cyclopeez.jpg
Yellow diodororgia, as far as I know, is the same specie as the red one, different color morph:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/DiodogorgiaY.jpg

HTH

[snatchbak]

Yellow diodororgia..... just like the bottom pic

[dendro982]

If you can place it close enough to the glass, that you will be able see its reaction on food and condition of the soft tissue, it would be helpful for monitoring changes.

If the surface lost glossy healthy appearance and looks bleak matt, together with losing mass (branches start look skinny), this is really bad. Central core/skeleton could be dead already and then fragging until the healthy tissue found could be necessary.

If just skinnier, the good diffused flow and frequent feeding by variety of food, including enriched fish food (with vitamins, GARF's flake food for gorgonians recipe could work), several times a day.

If nobody at home during the day, then a couple of feedings at the morning and 3 in the evening, and maybe the way Jens fed his tank in the past (thawing frozen food drips in the area of high flow), see the thread FTS of non-photosynthetic tank.

If there is film on surface - transparent, dirty or red cyano - they could be treated. For me yellow diodogorgia was literally revived after treating tank with UltraLife Red Slime Remover (could be erithromycine based, full treatment).

Check if the flow is diffused and sufficient, without being too strong (bending polyps).

How hopeless cases look like - you can see the red diodogorgia decline here (http://www.defineyourreef.frihost.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=29).

airinhere (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1336010) has tank, filled by yellow diodogorgias, you may ask there for more information.

HTH

[snatchbak]

I moved the gorgonian to the bottom, somewhat in the shade. The flow is fine and there are no signs of algae growth on the skin. The tissue looks fine, no open wounds, but overall it does look a bit scronier. I constantly see the blenny nipping at it.

Should i take the coral out?
I dont want to get rid of the blenny and the coral still doesnt thrive.
I dont know if Im ready to feed this gorgonian all the time either...

[parkpark]

you should get rid of it while it is still alive, having a gorg is more work than having a puppy

[snatchbak]

good tip.