Gorgonian Red Fan

[reef_junkies]

We have our fan in fairly strong flow and moderate light. Feeding is two to three times a week with myso shrmp (direct). We are concerned that it seems to be blooming to full polyp only twice day but maybe not even full the past couple of days. We dont dose as of yet but are about to go and spend a little on ZEO VIT additives (or a lot who knows with reefing) Just hope to get some advice from people who have been infected with this REEFING DISEASE longer than we have.

Thanks Darrin & Toreen

[tang daddy]

I also have the red sea fan with white polyps.... these will sometimes close for a couple days to shed their outer skin, this is how they get rid of algae and grow.

I am unsure what myso shrimp is however if you are feeding mysis I am afraid this is too large unless it is chopped finely into a powerhead which could foul your water.

I have a few different types of gorgs and seafans in my tank, it is running a skimmerless set up with waterchanges once a week. I feed live baby brine that I hatch every 3 days and algae clean the tank glass once a week. Since there is no skimmer the particles continiously flow through the system until they get filtered out by these animals and this is hopefully enough for them to eat.

[reef_junkies]

Sorry, mysis is what we meant. Slowly getting used to the Reef Word. Thanks so much for your quick reply. We obviously have a lot to learn.

[BCOrchidGuy]

According to Ron L Shimek's book How to Get There from Here, Fans should be at right angles to prevailing currents to intercept food in water. Polyp colour indicates how much food they need. Tan polyps mean they have Zooxanthellate and need some food, white polyps mean no zooxanthellae and need LOTS of food. I read somewhere also that for the white polyps an almost constant drip of food is what they require.

Douglas

[Delphinus]

As stated non photosynthetic gorgs pretty much need a constant drip. There are some commercially available gorgonian foods now at least. But generally speaking long term success with non-ps gorgonians is very likely not possible without constant feeding. Some people modify kalk reactors to dose, instead of adding kalk you add particulate foods such as Cyclops, Oyster eggs or say Fauna Marin seafan food.

Non photosynthetic gorgonians are probably in the highest category of toughness to keep (sorry to say, but I can't really sugar coat this). Photosynthetic gorgonians on the other hand are among the easiest of corals to keep. If the polyps are brown, it's photosynthetic, if coloured or pure white, then it's a filter feeder and non-photosynthetic.