Should I cut this gorgonian?

[exnisstech]

Not too familiar with gorgonians so thought I would ask. This one got moved and was rubbing on a leather and it seems to have lost some tissue that now has algae starting yo grow on it. Wondering if I should put those pieces or will the flesh grow back?
Might have to zoom in but it's the branches on the right.

 

[tbrown]

@BristleWormHater didn't you have something similar?

 

[bluemon]

I’ve had a gorgonian for almost 16 years now.

I don’t cut it unless they show the actual skeleton (brown and flexible but hard)

If algae grows on it, a healthy gorgonian should shed its skin pretty readily and get rid of algae

 

[IntrinsicReef]

I would snip it a bit into the healthy tissue. I really try to avoid necrosis starting in corals. Limit the potential for pathogenic microbes to get a foothold.

 

[exnisstech]

I’ve had a gorgonian for almost 16 years now.

I don’t cut it unless they show the actual skeleton (brown and flexible but hard)

If algae grows on it, a healthy gorgonian should shed its skin pretty readily and get rid of algae

I would snip it a bit into the healthy tissue. I really try to avoid necrosis starting in corals. Limit the potential for pathogenic microbes to get a foothold.

I was thinking this is tissue loss already because of the algae growth but my experience with tissue loss is limited to acros where algae only grows on skeleton which I usually try to cut back to healthy tissue but gorgonians are new for me.

 

[bluemon]

I was thinking this is tissue loss already because of the algae growth but my experience with tissue loss is limited to acros where algae only grows on skeleton which I usually try to cut back to healthy tissue but gorgonians are new for me.

I’d say the top branch is suspect and the bottom looks salvageable.

When they are dying, the flesh kinda disintegrates into a fine powder. Usually pretty fast to disintegrate and show the skeleton

 

[IntrinsicReef]

I was thinking this is tissue loss already because of the algae growth but my experience with tissue loss is limited to acros where algae only grows on skeleton which I usually try to cut back to healthy tissue but gorgonians are new for me.

It will probably continue to do what it's doing and dissolve from the top and regrow from the healthy tissue. It has to expend energy to heal itself and fight disease. I would rather the coral just put the energy into healing a small cut and regrowing. I dont really see an upside to leaving the burned branches. With all the information coming out about beneficial microbes turning pathogenic when opportunity arises, I have been much more prone to cutting suspect branches.

 

[exnisstech]

It will probably continue to do what it's doing and dissolve from the top and regrow from the healthy tissue. It has to expend energy to heal itself and fight disease. I would rather the coral just put the energy into healing a small cut and regrowing. I dont really see an upside to leaving the burned branches. With all the information coming out about beneficial microbes turning pathogenic when opportunity arises, I have been much more prone to cutting suspect branches.

Agreed. Thanks