Reef Central Online Community - View Single Post - Let's talk about corals to stock in a non-photosynthetic aquarium

uhuru · 04/14/2010, 03:57 PM

Diodogorgia nodulifera

Common names: Yellow or Red Finger Gorgonian

Type of Coral: Gorgonian

Care Level: Intermediate

Reproduction: most likely sexual

Coral Placement/Orientation Insensitive to light. Unknown whether laminar flow or turbulent flow yields better results, but I have mine directly in the path of a vortech with flow that would probably stress out high flow loving Acropora corals.

Feeding: Zooplankton, eggs/larvae, possibly bacterioplankton and detritus. Food should be no larger than frozen cyclopeeze, with the majority being much smaller such as rotifers. Polyps will retract without constant food in the water.

Additional tips or words of wisdom This is a good first gorgonian if you are venturing into an NPS system. They are still difficult relative to most photosynthetic corals. You should feed small amounts as often as possible. A continuous feeding system will yield the best results as the polyps should stay open almost 24/7. If the polyps stay closed most of the time, either you don't have enough flow, enough food in the water or your water quality is too poor. This coral will grow vertically from the tips and "encrust" from the base if it is healthy. It will grow in the direction of the strongest flow and can handle literally being blasted with it. The tissue gets algae and detritus build up easily and should be kept clean (high flow will help a lot).

04/14/2010, 03:57 PM	#8
uhuru Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbus Posts: 2,949	Diodogorgia nodulifera Common names: Yellow or Red Finger Gorgonian Type of Coral: Gorgonian Care Level: Intermediate Reproduction: most likely sexual Coral Placement/Orientation Insensitive to light. Unknown whether laminar flow or turbulent flow yields better results, but I have mine directly in the path of a vortech with flow that would probably stress out high flow loving Acropora corals. Feeding: Zooplankton, eggs/larvae, possibly bacterioplankton and detritus. Food should be no larger than frozen cyclopeeze, with the majority being much smaller such as rotifers. Polyps will retract without constant food in the water. Additional tips or words of wisdom This is a good first gorgonian if you are venturing into an NPS system. They are still difficult relative to most photosynthetic corals. You should feed small amounts as often as possible. A continuous feeding system will yield the best results as the polyps should stay open almost 24/7. If the polyps stay closed most of the time, either you don't have enough flow, enough food in the water or your water quality is too poor. This coral will grow vertically from the tips and "encrust" from the base if it is healthy. It will grow in the direction of the strongest flow and can handle literally being blasted with it. The tissue gets algae and detritus build up easily and should be kept clean (high flow will help a lot). Last edited by uhuru; 04/14/2010 at 04:02 PM.