Photosynthetic or Non-Photosynthetic?

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi there,

Can anyone please tell me whether or not this purple sea whip is NPS?

If it is, it's no biggie considering I already have a dendro and some sun coral, I just want to be sure. I have been target feeding it with baby brine just in case and it looks like it's eating it all up, but I figured I'd double check in case I'm just irritating it and causing the polyps to close. The polyps reopen again very shortly afterward. I have it in a high flow area as it refuses to extend its polyps otherwise.

Thanks!


IMG_9806.JPG
 

Eagle_Steve

Grandpa of Cronies
View Badges
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Messages
11,564
Reaction score
60,954
Location
Tennessee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi there,

Can anyone please tell me whether or not this purple sea whip is NPS?

If it is, it's no biggie considering I already have a dendro and some sun coral, I just want to be sure. I have been target feeding it with baby brine just in case and it looks like it's eating it all up, but I figured I'd double check in case I'm just irritating it and causing the polyps to close. The polyps reopen again very shortly afterward. I have it in a high flow area as it refuses to extend its polyps otherwise.

Thanks!


IMG_9806.JPG
Purple seawhips are photosynthetic, but they love free food as well. Feeding will make it grow a lot quicker than light alone.
 
OP
OP
Apollo7235

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I thought the white polyp ones were purely NPS, no consequence if your gonna feed it though.
I had thought this as well, but my online searches kept bringing back different answers.... Hence my post. I guess you're right, though, sounds like I can't go wrong by feeding it!
 
OP
OP
Apollo7235

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
With the size of those polys, they look like the catch stuff well so I was thinking NPS.
It certainly does catch everything very well. Sometimes it will even pull in some mysis!

I typically feed it the coral frenzy that is left after I feed my NPS the chunky stuff and it gobbles it up!
 

C. Eymann

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,743
Reaction score
4,934
Location
Winter park FL.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It kinda looks like a frag of muriceopsis flavida? which is photosynthetic, hard to tell in your lighting, but are the polyps really pure white? no brown tinge to them at all?

Basically, almost all photosynthetic gorgs have tan/ brownish polyps, If the polyps are white, yellow, red etc etc its usually NPS.

Gorgonians are so underrated, but even the photosynthetic ones can be finnicky l
 
OP
OP
Apollo7235

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It kinda looks like a frag of muriceopsis flavida? which is photosynthetic, hard to tell in your lighting, but are the polyps really pure white? no brown tinge to them at all?

Basically, almost all photosynthetic gorgs have tan/ brownish polyps, If the polyps are white, yellow, red etc etc its usually NPS.

Gorgonians are so underrated, but even the photosynthetic ones can be finnicky l
Yes, they are pure white. I will snap another photo for you in just a few minutes here.

I will say, this one has been very easy and low maintenance. As long as it’s got some moderate flow, it’s pretty happy. No flow, it closes up within seconds unless I give it a blast of the good stuff
 

C. Eymann

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,743
Reaction score
4,934
Location
Winter park FL.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes, they are pure white. I will snap another photo for you in just a few minutes here.

I will say, this one has been very easy and low maintenance. As long as it’s got some moderate flow, it’s pretty happy. No flow, it closes up within seconds unless I give it a blast of the good stuff

Yeah gorgs love flow, rarely do I see any non photosynthetic gorgs come into the trade unless its diodogorgia noudulifera or swifta exersa and its pretty rare to see a nps gorgonian with a purple coenenchyme
 
OP
OP
Apollo7235

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah gorgs love flow, rarely do I see any non photosynthetic gorgs come into the trade unless its diodogorgia noudulifera or swifta exersa and its pretty rare to see a nps gorgonian with a purple coenenchyme
Here it is just now at feeding time. It snagged a bit of mysis and is trying desperately to eat it, haha
5650D202-B3E4-48BF-9296-6DD03834270B.jpeg
 

C. Eymann

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,743
Reaction score
4,934
Location
Winter park FL.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here it is just now at feeding time. It snagged a bit of mysis and is trying desperately to eat it, haha
5650D202-B3E4-48BF-9296-6DD03834270B.jpeg
Need smaller food items their gastric cavity isn't evolved to handle stuff like mysis,- phyto, oyster eggs, and rotifers are more in the range of appropriate food sizes for most gorgs.
its simple, but even pulverized/ powdered flake food put in a suspension of aquarium water would do in a pinch.
 
OP
OP
Apollo7235

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Need smaller food items their gastric cavity isn't evolved to handle stuff like mysis,- phyto, oyster eggs, and rotifers are more in the range of appropriate food sizes for most gorgs.
its simple, but even pulverized/ powdered flake food put in a suspension of aquarium water would do in a pinch.
I feed my NPS a mix of SBB Mysis, carnivore cuisine, baby brine, Brightwell LPS pellets, and Coral Frenzy powder, so I usually just give the gorg the liquid that is left after feeding everyone else the chunky stuff. Every now and then, it will snag a bit of mysis as it did tonight. Funny little fella. Tries and tries, but it eventually lets it go.
 
OP
OP
Apollo7235

Apollo7235

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
751
Reaction score
820
Location
Orlando, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It kinda looks like a frag of muriceopsis flavida? which is photosynthetic, hard to tell in your lighting, but are the polyps really pure white? no brown tinge to them at all?

Basically, almost all photosynthetic gorgs have tan/ brownish polyps, If the polyps are white, yellow, red etc etc its usually NPS.

Gorgonians are so underrated, but even the photosynthetic ones can be finnicky l
I looked up the muriceopsis flavida and that looks to be exactly what I have!
Great to know! Thank you very much!
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 65 37.1%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.7%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.3%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top