Leptogorgia Virgulata, aka Colorful Whip Coral: Photosynthetic or not?

LegalReefer · Jun 8, 2021

Hey y’all,

I probably should have asked here first before doing something stupid, but I’ve scoured the web without a clear answer and mostly decided to just give it a shot...

I was on the SC coast recently and a few small yellow colorful sea whips were growing as fouling organisms off a public dock. Seeing as this was an opportunity, I considered taking them but decided to wait and do more research. After a week of not getting more info (and not asking here because aforementioned stupidity), I decided to just risk it and grab one or two to try and keep. I wanted to know if they were photosynthetic or not, and what I should do to keep them well.

Thanks for any and all help! I’ll add pics tomorrow if I can get some polyp extension outta them

LegalReefer · Jun 10, 2021

Anyone? Really would appreciate some help or advice on this one.

Here are some photos btw. It extended its polyps last night but has not done so since, and seems to be shedding that brown film as gorgonians are often wont to do.

Azedenkae · Jun 10, 2021

Colony morphology, age structure, and relative growth of two gorgonian corals, Leptogorgia hebes (Verrill) and Leptogorgia virgulata (Lamarck), from the northerm Gulf of Mexico - Coral Reefs

Along the northeastern Gulf of Mexico coast, Leptogorgia hebes is the predominant gorgonian at two inner shelf (22 and 27 m) sites, while Leptogorgia virgulata dominates a third shallow (1–2m), inshore site. The axial skeleton of both species is composed of concentric rings which appeared to...

link.springer.com

This seems like it may have the info we need. I can't access it right now but posting here to check up on it later. But if you happen to have access, could see if it says anything on whether the gorgonian is photosynthetic or not.