Purple candelabra gorgonian trouble (photosynthetic)

[Gabtron92]

I got my first gorgonian about a month ago and its condition is already starting to deteriorate I haven’t been much of a coral killer yet but maybe this is my time to learn a tough lesson. I have it in an area of my tank with fairly strong flow and good lighting. I feed it reef fuel and I also feed the tank phytofeast. My parameters might be a little off (I’m new to this) but my other corals (Zoas, mushrooms, Duncan, Kenya tree) all seem to be doing pretty good.
Recently I dealt with Dino’s and they were all over the poor gorgonian and possibly caused a lot of damage. During this time I also did some partial blackouts. I know gorgonians need a lot of light. Could this be part of the issue? Any help would be great!! I’m struggling and I don’t want to lose this beauty

 

[Gabtron92]

Here’s what it looked like when I got it and the second picture shows the damage…

 

[dennis romano]

Rigid, stiff gorgs like yours do not need strong flow. Moderate flow is fine. They really don't need very strong light either. You don't have to go crazy feeding it. If you place it in a location that it likes, the polyps will open. When the polyps open, then you can feed it. Also, keep it a few inches from the Kenya. In my tank, when they grow too close, I have to move the gorg. Chemical warfare between the two.

 

[Gabtron92]

Rigid, stiff gorgs like yours do not need strong flow. Moderate flow is fine. They really don't need very strong light either. You don't have to go crazy feeding it. If you place it in a location that it likes, the polyps will open. When the polyps open, then you can feed it. Also, keep it a few inches from the Kenya. In my tank, when they grow too close, I have to move the gorg. Chemical warfare between the two.

Good to know! I just have my Fluval 13.5 stock lights. Maybe it doesn’t like its current location. I’ll see what I can do. I still have hope

 

[Gabtron92]

What is going on here??

 

[Dburr1014]

Gargonians live where they take a beating on the reef slopes. Constant water flowing over/thru them. It helps them shed and catch food. I do agree you don't have to blast them with light.
Have you fed it at all? Do the polyps come out at all? I think more flow will stimulate the polyps to come out more. Sounds opposite to one's thinking but your not a coral. LOL
Once that internal stem has lost flesh and starts to have foreign growth on it, imo, the flesh won't grow back to cover it. It would be best to snip that off.

You could try and save the snipped piece. Just make sure there's no dead growth on it, take some wire strippers and strip off the bottom quarter inch keeping the stem intact. Stick the stem in a hole of a rock with super glue. The flesh will go down to the base you just don't want to get Super Glue on the flesh cuz it will burn it.

 

[Gabtron92]

Gargonians live where they take a beating on the reef slopes. Constant water flowing over/thru them. It helps them shed and catch food. I do agree you don't have to blast them with light.
Have you fed it at all? Do the polyps come out at all? I think more flow will stimulate the polyps to come out more. Sounds opposite to one's thinking but your not a coral. LOL
Once that internal stem has lost flesh and starts to have foreign growth on it, imo, the flesh won't grow back to cover it. It would be best to snip that off.

You could try and save the snipped piece. Just make sure there's no dead growth on it, take some wire strippers and strip off the bottom quarter inch keeping the stem intact. Stick the stem in a hole of a rock with super glue. The flesh will go down to the base you just don't want to get Super Glue on the flesh cuz it will burn it.

This sounds like really good advice! I will try that. I kinda figured that part wouldn’t grow back

 

[dennis romano]

Sorry, but I am going to dispute the other post advising more flow. There are basically two types of gorg, thick rigid bodied ones like yours and narrow, flexible types. If you were to go to You Tube and look for videos of gorgs in nature, the narrow flexible ones gently sway in the current. Rigid ones like yours don't like too much current. Their polyps will not open. A few years ago, I gave a gorg like yours too much flow and killed it in one day. The tips are the most sensitive part of the gorg. When a gorg is stressed for any reason, the tips look like yours. I have a couple gorgs with the same burning like yours. I just leave it. As long as it is just the tips, it is not pretty but no big deal. You just have to figure out what is causing the burning...too much light, or flow, just moving to a new tank or too close to another coral. As long as your other corals are fine, I wouldn't panic. If pieces of the gorg start to fall off, then that is bad. Usually, mine burn because of the stress of going into my tank. I have over a dozen gorgs of different species. A few are over a decade old

 

[Eienna]

Keep us updated? I lost one that looked like that and never knew why.

 

[Gabtron92]

Sorry, but I am going to dispute the other post advising more flow. There are basically two types of gorg, thick rigid bodied ones like yours and narrow, flexible types. If you were to go to You Tube and look for videos of gorgs in nature, the narrow flexible ones gently sway in the current. Rigid ones like yours don't like too much current. Their polyps will not open. A few years ago, I gave a gorg like yours too much flow and killed it in one day. The tips are the most sensitive part of the gorg. When a gorg is stressed for any reason, the tips look like yours. I have a couple gorgs with the same burning like yours. I just leave it. As long as it is just the tips, it is not pretty but no big deal. You just have to figure out what is causing the burning...too much light, or flow, just moving to a new tank or too close to another coral. As long as your other corals are fine, I wouldn't panic. If pieces of the gorg start to fall off, then that is bad. Usually, mine burn because of the stress of going into my tank. I have over a dozen gorgs of different species. A few are over a decade old

Thanks for this alternate take! It sounds like you have a lot of experience with this type of coral. I’ve been hitting it pretty hard with the flow and it is still new to my tank so I will lessen the flow and see if it adapts over time. I’ve also been doing very little light, I wonder if it’s not getting enough

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Count me as another vote in the less-flow-is-better category. As someone with some experience with photosynthetic gorgs, the ones I lose are ones I put in too much flow and light. Happened with two separate purple frillies (you'd think I'd learn the first time).

My current purple candelabra lives lightly shaded in a mid-low flow area of my reef, and it's as happy as can be. At work in my 20 cube, I have a corky finger in virtually no flow and mid-high light and the polyps are constantly fully extended, good growth too.

 

[VO6]

I’m sorry you’re currently having trouble with the gorgonian. Hopefully all goes well soon. I have the same gorgonian in my reef - however, i am blasting it with light (T5’s) and I have it in a pretty high flow area. Its branches are literally being pushed around. My specimen seems to love the current conditions it’s in as its polyps are always out (super fluffy dude). I‘ll add some pictures tomorrow as my lights are off.

imo, I think these gorgonians would appreciate higher light since where they’re collected is usually in the shallow reefs of Florida/Caribbean. I actually had the opportunity to go snorkeling in the Key Largo a few years back and the reef was pretty shallow and there were gorgonians everywhere. The flow was turbulent as well.

 

[Xenia]

I got my first gorgonian about a month ago and its condition is already starting to deteriorate I haven’t been much of a coral killer yet but maybe this is my time to learn a tough lesson. I have it in an area of my tank with fairly strong flow and good lighting. I feed it reef fuel and I also feed the tank phytofeast. My parameters might be a little off (I’m new to this) but my other corals (Zoas, mushrooms, Duncan, Kenya tree) all seem to be doing pretty good.
Recently I dealt with Dino’s and they were all over the poor gorgonian and possibly caused a lot of damage. During this time I also did some partial blackouts. I know gorgonians need a lot of light. Could this be part of the issue? Any help would be great!! I’m struggling and I don’t want to lose this beauty

Reef fuel is no food you need reef elixer for it, reef fuel is more for the nitrate and phos and bacto's
Reef elixer is the food for the corals and to keep your water stable.

But , i have had my gorg like yours fall behind the reef, after month or 2 i picked it back up it whas totally white, but not dead, so they are really hardy !
I give her a gently upward stream, so no blasting ! My other thin gorg i put her right in front of the wavepump, she waves like crazy and loves it.

give her a nice calm spot, perhaps buy some ab+ broadcast food for the tank ( put skimmer or pump off for 30min to 1 hour)

Mine came back and has her colour and i dont have really powerfull led just some eheim led+ bars, goodluck

 

[Dburr1014]

Gorgonian Coral Care Guide

Gorgonian Coral can be one of the easiest or hardest species to keep depending on the type. Gorgonian Coral Care focuses on wether the species is photosynthetic or not.

reefstable.com

Photosynthetic Gorgonians for the Home Aquaria | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Of all the amazing corals that are available to the reef aquarium hobbyists nowadays, gorgonians are frequently overlooked when choosing corals for our aquariums. In the wild they are a vital part of…

reefbuilders.com

 

[Gabtron92]

Count me as another vote in the less-flow-is-better category. As someone with some experience with photosynthetic gorgs, the ones I lose are ones I put in too much flow and light. Happened with two separate purple frillies (you'd think I'd learn the first time).

My current purple candelabra lives lightly shaded in a mid-low flow area of my reef, and it's as happy as can be. At work in my 20 cube, I have a corky finger in virtually no flow and mid-high light and the polyps are constantly fully extended, good growth too.

this is good to know! I’ve redirected the flow. Will keep y’all posted. Btw your coral is beautiful

 

[Gabtron92]

Reef fuel is no food you need reef elixer for it, reef fuel is more for the nitrate and phos and bacto's
Reef elixer is the food for the corals and to keep your water stable.

But , i have had my gorg like yours fall behind the reef, after month or 2 i picked it back up it whas totally white, but not dead, so they are really hardy !
I give her a gently upward stream, so no blasting ! My other thin gorg i put her right in front of the wavepump, she waves like crazy and loves it.

give her a nice calm spot, perhaps buy some ab+ broadcast food for the tank ( put skimmer or pump off for 30min to 1 hour)

Mine came back and has her colour and i dont have really powerfull led just some eheim led+ bars, goodluck

I’ll have to check that coral food out! Thanks for the advice. I was wondering what that fuel was doing…

 

[Gabtron92]

Gorgonian Coral Care Guide

Gorgonian Coral can be one of the easiest or hardest species to keep depending on the type. Gorgonian Coral Care focuses on wether the species is photosynthetic or not.

reefstable.com

Photosynthetic Gorgonians for the Home Aquaria | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Of all the amazing corals that are available to the reef aquarium hobbyists nowadays, gorgonians are frequently overlooked when choosing corals for our aquariums. In the wild they are a vital part of…

reefbuilders.com

This is what I read when I first got the coral so I made sure it had ample flow… I’m so confused. So much info out there and often it’s contradictory. Thanks for your help!

 

[Dburr1014]

Purple brush gorgonian and flow?

I am trying to figure out just how much flow is best for gorgonians. I bought what I think is purple brush gorgonian (definitely purple and definitely gorgonian). Having read that they love strong flow, I put the little guy pretty much right in front of the filter outflow, which is a space I had ...

www.nano-reef.com

Purple Candleabra Sea Fan Gorgonian Coral - Aquarium Creations Online

Sea fans like the Purple Candelabra Gorgonian's create a beautiful display of height and motion in the home reef aquarium. Gorgonians also called sea fans are easily maintained and propagated, making them an ideal choice for the dedicated hobbyist.

www.aquariumcreationsonline.net

Pic from last April. I have an lps and sps 75g. Tons of flow. This garg has been in the tank for 7 or 8 years. From the sand bed to almost the top of the water line, just a couple more inches to go. I hid it in the Corner because I knew it would eventually grow past the Rock.

 

[VO6]

Here is a pic of my purple candelabra gorgonian. I’ve had it now for 3 weeks. When I first got it, some of the base started to die off but is now recovering well. The polyps are tan and the base is purple, unable to really see the purple color due to the polyp extension. Ignore the bubble algae, it’s been a process trying to get it out of my system.

 

[Eienna]

Perhaps it's okay with quite a bit of flow but not narrow streams of it? Extreme example, but like a river vs a pressure hose? Just a hunch.