blueberry gorgonian

has anybody had any experience with one of these? ive heard they can be rather tricky. i have one and am trying to figure out whats best for it. initally i had it high in my tank and the polyps opened quite nicely. there wasnt alot of water movement up there. also a blue "coraline" started to spread over the beigey colored trunk. but heard they did better lower and with moderate water movement. i moved it lower and it doesnt look as good. any opinions or help is greatly appreciated.

 

Strong lighting, medium to strong flow.
What lighting do you have? Age of tank? What are you feeding it?

 

tank is almost 5 months old. feeding it either mysis shrimp or tiny bits of flake food onto the polyps. and i guess i should get to know my equipment better, but not sure how strong the lights are. theres 3 blues and 3 whites

 

i took a look on my bulbs. the 3 blue are actinic. and the bulbs are 54 w , ho , 10kk. is that 100,000?

 

These are indeed tricky to keep as they are filter feeders and 100% non-photosynthetic. As such, light level is irrelevant. Place them in moderate to strong flow with the 'fan' shape perpendicular to the flow (maximizes flow past each polyp).

Additionally, they need food with a fairly small particle size. 'DTs' Phytoplankton would work. 'MarineSnow' particle size is too big. Fauna Marin makes a product call 'Ultra Sea Fan' that I have heard works well. In Canada (USA not sure?) they sell a product called 'Reef Roids' that is outstanding (freeze dried plankton) that I use with two different types of gorgonians very successfully.

Z

 

thanks zipper. i do have the marine snow. ive also been mincin up flake and givin it a bit of squirts. but i will try the reef roids. i know big al's carries the frozen plankton