Diodogorgia nodulifera polyps extension mystery

[basile]

I didn't know where to put this thread maybe the mod can help me here thank.




I have a Diodogorgia nodulifera

The red dots are where the white polyps retracts . When the branch is not healthy they disapear and the branch waste away.

here you see a few guards polyps on duty , that measure particule concentration, if present they'll entend and soon the others will open.

That in theory goes with strong flows; However!!!!




I was doing my 3 month cleaning of my powerheads ; this is by the way a new tank and its my first time cleaning my system since its new.




Vinegar and baking soda

Then i've put back the powerhead and i hadn't dosed for 5 days because of other issues. The polyps had stayed open, but as soon as i took the powerhead out, they closed. and when i've put them back within 2 hours they were all open again. So the flow but also the movement of the branch seem to be a stimulus for the polyps to open even if food may or may not be present. since i hadn't fed.


I feed

So the question is ; Does direct flow , movement of the gorgonian alone in particular would be sufficient to make the polyps extend regardless of particule concentration












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