Gorgonian Question

[wuzup3]

I purchased a Gorgonian about a 2 weeks ago. Not sure the type but is orange with white polyps. Acclimated and added to the tank. It stayed closed for 2 days then it partially opened up. I fed it that night, it then closed again and hasn't open since. It is located mid-low portion of the tank and has good current flow over it. Does not open at night or while lights are on. Is it still acclimating or is this a lost cause? Also all parameters are fine. Thanks in advance.

[Premiumaq]

Gorgos can be touchy, but try affixing it somewhere next to the intake of a powerhead... use a frag mag if you have to. The constant directional flow of nutrient-bearing water helps, and the powerhead can shade the gorgo to help avoid killer algae growing on it. Feed phyto.

[dendro982]

Is it like this on the left (thin, only orange):
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia gorgonian/Other gorgonians/smDec2_07x.jpg
This is sea whip gorgonian.

Like this (again, could be more orangeish):
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia gorgonian/Nov6_08gy.jpg
This is Diodogorgia nodulifera.

Pinnigorgia (http://www.reeflex.net/tiere/2198_Pinnigorgia_sp.%2001.htm), or other?

What you can do: try to make feedings close to continuous, or at least few to several feedings a day, mouth-sized (not too big) zooplankton or Fauna Marin or Timo food.

Continuous or prolonged feeding devices could be from complex to fairly simple:
- Syringe pump based (Charles Matthews (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=524097&perpage=25&pagenumber=25) post, illustrated (http://www.e-coralia.net/panel/showthread.php?t=1436).
- Kalkwasser doser by Danny Dame (http://www.marineaquarium.nl/februari-2006english.php),
- peristaltic pump (http://www.drpez.net/panel/showthread.php?t=170061), description of another one (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/feature/index.php) with airline agitation, wine cooler based version (http://www.defineyourreef.frihost.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=63).
- Dripping in high flow area (http://reefcentral.com/forums/newreply.php?action=newreply&threadid=1087891&), the simplest version is to let the frozen cube of rotifers to that above the return pump or powerhead output.
- or use a bottle with air valve, siliconed at the bottom - with bubbling air to keep food suspended (link (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=14169164#post14169164)).
- Or modify automatic dry food feeder, don't have link at hand, but you can find them by search of continuous feeding device.

Next: experiment with flow. Preferably it should be at least moderate, moving tentacles, but not bending the whole polyps.

Some sea whips may start to lose tissue withing few days in high flow, some - in very low flow. You will see. Regeneration is possible, within one month.

If diodogorgia (large polyps), it should be in at least 100-150 gph reflected from the glass flow. In low flow with once a day feedings for a month - the damage will be irreparable, all you can do - to cut of alive branches, until the healthy tissue inside will be reached. And the mount/glue them, of course.

Didn't try Pinnigorgia, though.

HTH

[wuzup3]

Thanks so much for the info guys.

saamath- i will try moving it around in the tank a little to get more flow to it to keep away algae.

dendro982- thanks for all the links and info. It does look like the picture on the left, so i guess it's diodogorgia.
My question now is do I still send food in its direction even though there are no polyps out at all? Or is the damage already done? It has looked like this for over a week. My coral looks just like the bottom half of the one pictured all over. (Just arms no polyps at all).

[iamwrasseman]

my LFS wouldnt sell me that cause he said it was destined to die

[dendro982]

wuzup:
It senses presence of the food in water column and opens, one watchman polyp, then more. When food is added frequently, it is open almost all the time, independent from light. If it was closed for a more than a week, give it more time to react on food in the water a week or even more.

I don't see the other way around, only continue to offer it a food.

After you added, say, a pinch of dry Cyclop-Eeeze, it will continue floating in the tank for maybe 20 min, being available for gorgonian.
Finest particles of the fish food also could be used.

If there are some film on the gorgonian surface - transparent, or darker debris, or red cyano - you can remove it, either by siphoning out, using soft airline tubing (blue silicone here), bast off by turkey baster, pipette or powerhead, or rub off gently by fingers.

Here is how it looks closed, the dark dot covers polyp inside, like top of the small cave:
http://thumb1.webshots.net/t/59/659/0/42/45/2589042450081040121IiDsZN_th.jpg (http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2589042450081040121IiDsZN)
Reluctant polyps are starting to open, one by one:
http://thumb1.webshots.net/t/57/557/1/82/74/2276182740081040121vAqzRd_th.jpg (http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2276182740081040121vAqzRd)
Healthy central core for yellow diodogorgia looks like this:
http://thumb1.webshots.net/t/57/557/6/98/86/2234698860081040121eDQATw_th.jpg (http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2234698860081040121eDQATw)
Same frag with growth at the base and polyps wide open:
http://thumb1.webshots.net/t/24/665/9/99/30/2013999300081040121aqtFHv_th.jpg (http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2013999300081040121aqtFHv)

I have seen irreparable damage only on the red morph of the same species, Diodogorgia nodulfera, photos are here (http://www.defineyourreef.frihost.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=29), the second half of page. Basically, soft tissue starts to look rough, as was rubbing off, then only core left. Fragmentation may help, if even small branch with healthy tissue - inside and outside - remains. It will not grow fast to the large size, at least IMHE, but you still will have a nice coral.

Once, with yellow morph, it was closed for prolonged time because of water quality - tank had red cyano, maybe even dinoflagellates - the treatment by Ultralife Red Slime remover (the one that turns water yellow for a two days and possibly contains erithtromicyn) helped. When and if you have nothing to lose, you may experiment with antibiotics. Bath could be preferable to treating the whole tank. If you do - post your experience.

iamwrasseman:
I'm not advocating keeping species with reputation of being difficult, but my red morph is 2.5 years old, yellow - 1.5 and actually grows. Basic conditions, just feeding. Water changes and tank cleaning take a lot of time, of course, when I would prefer to sit and relax, browsing web or reading book - just like anybody else ;)

[wuzup3]

dendro
Thank you so much for all of the information. You really seem to know your stuff. I will start doing more continuous feedings and hopefully it will start to come back. Again i appreciate you sharing all of that info. It was very helpful.

[dendro982]

:wavehand: