ID Gorgonian

homer1475 · 04/24/2015, 07:05 AM

Wasn't sure what category this would fall into or I would have put it in that specific forum but.....

I know this is a gorgonian, but I'm curious as to what kind and whether its photosynthetic or needs to be fed. I'm assuming photosynthetic since its brown, but I could be wrong.

thegrun · 04/24/2015, 10:12 AM

It looks like a type of sea rod gorgonian which are almost all photosynthetic, but it is very difficult to assign a specific species to gorgonians.

shred5 · 04/24/2015, 10:17 AM

Looks like possibly briareum, I could tell better with a closed pic too...

homer1475 · 04/24/2015, 10:26 AM

I'll see if I can get a closed pic, it's been open since I put it in the tank.

if it helps the LFS told me to glue it to a shell, let the outer flesh die off, which will leave a small branch at the end where it was glued, then glue that branch to a shell or rock.

Just looks like a pink/brown stick when its closed up.

I'm more worried about whether I need to feed it, or its photosynthetic.

homer1475 · 04/24/2015, 10:28 AM

Also what category would this fall into? Softie? NPS?

From what I've read, they are a category all their own.

shred5 · 04/24/2015, 11:02 AM

Not closed enough but it does not look like brarium anymore, the branches dont look thick enough.
It looks more like Plexaura sp? possibly Plexaura flexuosa.
Easier in person or when they are bigger.
I will say it is defiantly a photosynthetic gorgonian.
Don't need food but would benefit from them. With it having larger polyps cyclopeese or bbs would be good for it..
Gorgonian are usually considered a soft coral.
It looks very healthy too.. Nice find.

homer1475 · 04/24/2015, 11:17 AM

Thanks for the info shred5.

Its branches are about the thickness of an original sharpie.

You should have seen the mother colony, it was huge!!! and very beautiful. The LFS cut this small branch directly from the mother colony while I was watching him.

After googling the name you gave(Plexaura flexousa), that looks exactly like the mother colony.

Again thanks for the ID and info. I just didn't know where to post or how to go about googling for it. Any time I googled gorgonian, I was getting images that did not look like what I have.

04/24/2015, 07:05 AM	#1
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	ID Gorgonian Wasn't sure what category this would fall into or I would have put it in that specific forum but..... I know this is a gorgonian, but I'm curious as to what kind and whether its photosynthetic or needs to be fed. I'm assuming photosynthetic since its brown, but I could be wrong. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

04/24/2015, 10:17 AM	#3
shred5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Waukesha , WI Posts: 4,998	Looks like possibly briareum, I could tell better with a closed pic too... __________________ David Polzin

04/24/2015, 10:26 AM	#4
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I'll see if I can get a closed pic, it's been open since I put it in the tank. if it helps the LFS told me to glue it to a shell, let the outer flesh die off, which will leave a small branch at the end where it was glued, then glue that branch to a shell or rock. Just looks like a pink/brown stick when its closed up. I'm more worried about whether I need to feed it, or its photosynthetic. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

04/24/2015, 10:28 AM	#5
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Also what category would this fall into? Softie? NPS? From what I've read, they are a category all their own. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

04/24/2015, 11:02 AM	#6
shred5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Waukesha , WI Posts: 4,998	Not closed enough but it does not look like brarium anymore, the branches dont look thick enough. It looks more like Plexaura sp? possibly Plexaura flexuosa. Easier in person or when they are bigger. I will say it is defiantly a photosynthetic gorgonian. Don't need food but would benefit from them. With it having larger polyps cyclopeese or bbs would be good for it.. Gorgonian are usually considered a soft coral. It looks very healthy too.. Nice find. __________________ David Polzin

04/24/2015, 10:12 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	It looks like a type of sea rod gorgonian which are almost all photosynthetic, but it is very difficult to assign a specific species to gorgonians.

04/24/2015, 11:17 AM	#7
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Thanks for the info shred5. Its branches are about the thickness of an original sharpie. You should have seen the mother colony, it was huge!!! and very beautiful. The LFS cut this small branch directly from the mother colony while I was watching him. After googling the name you gave(Plexaura flexousa), that looks exactly like the mother colony. Again thanks for the ID and info. I just didn't know where to post or how to go about googling for it. Any time I googled gorgonian, I was getting images that did not look like what I have. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"