可用的所有神奇的珊瑚the reef aquarium hobbyists nowadays, gorgonians are frequently overlooked when choosing corals for our aquariums. In the wild they are a vital part of the environment; they filter water, provide sanctuary for fish, crinoids, and many other creatures. They are part of the food chain, which make them a food source for various nudibranchs, snails, and fish. And let’s not forget they are generally beautiful. When I go diving in the Florida Keys gorgonians are everywhere; in all shapes and sizes, in some areas there are huge fields of them waving back and forth in the current.
I think that for most of us gorgonians seem hard to keep or we are unsure of how they should fit into our personal reef aquariums. If you do a search on the internet it’s difficult to find good information on gorgonian care, that’s current and up to date. When it comes to purchasing gorgonians – there’s quite a confusing mix of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic gorgonians offered for sale.
If you do not have Julian Sprung’s book “CORALS” handy to look up the different species and their care needs, it is tough to know what is best suited for your aquarium and what would not make a good choice. There are many stunning types of non-photosynthetic gorgonians available in the hobby, but most do not have a good long term success rate in captivity. Luckily there are several beautiful, photosynthetic gorgonians that are fairly easy to keep if given the right care.
Most all of the photosynthetic gorgonians available to the hobby come from very shallow areas of the Caribbean seas. Their natural habitat has strong tidal currents and ample sunlight – therefore providing them with the same conditions in your own aquarium is a must. I think good water flow is really one of the most important factors in successful captive care of gorgonians. Some gorgonians shed a thin membrane layer, much like leather corals, every few days to help rid their tissue of algae and other irritants. Sufficient flow rates help blow off this mucus membrane ensuring better overall health and polyp extension.
光合Gorgonians喜欢光线,因此请确保将它们放在您每天几个小时的中度至高照明的区域中。大多数Gorgonians都希望将其放置在岩石上,并固定在岩石上。如果Gorgonians靠在玻璃墙或其他阻碍其组织流动的硬表面上,他们可能会受到损害。即使光合巨大的Gorgonians很容易保留,珊瑚也会刺痛和损坏其组织,因此最好保持其距离以防止接触。通常,我有一个经验法则,用于将不同种类的珊瑚放在水族馆中。在将珊瑚放置在适当的位置时,始终是明智的,在珊瑚周围提供几英寸的空间,因为它们往往是领土上的,并且可以进行化学战。
在为您的坦克购买Gorgonians时,对于找到知名的卖家很重要,最好是您看到的是可用的Gorgonians的照片,因此您一定会收到健康的标本。许多商店不会使戈贡人保持良好的光线或流动,因此他们往往是不健康的。重要的是,它们具有良好的颜色,息肉延伸,并且看起来不易碎或灰色。有时,戈贡人可能会有一个死截面,或者在分支上缺少组织。只要珊瑚的其余部分看起来很健康,您就可以剪剪子并切断此部分,不会对珊瑚的其余部分造成任何伤害。
Gorgonian frags are becoming popular in the hobby and a larger variety of species are available, now more than ever before. Since they are already secured to a plug, it takes the work out of trying to epoxy a new gorgonian to live rock which can prove challenging. Most species of gorgonians encrust onto frag plugs quickly, which makes them easier to place in your aquarium. Cultured gorgonian fragments tend to be smaller and have a better chance of survival even in nano aquariums. They are also economically priced, making it easier for hobbyists to try several different species instead of only keeping one large gorgonian.
The following are some of my personal favorites as far as photosynthetic gorgonians are concerned. This is not a comprehensive guide of all photosynthetic gorgonians, instead I wanted to share some of the more readily available types, which I feel have the best chance of survival in the average reader’s reef tank. I also have a bias towards purple, so I tend to keep gorgonians with a strong purple coloration.
One of the best beginner gorgonians is Briareum. This coral is actually a tan cousin of green star polyps and not a true gorgonian. Its common name is Corky Finger; it is frequently available at many LFS and online retailers. This coral can withstand a variety of lighting, flow, and water quality conditions, making it a great choice for beginners or a new aquarium.
One of my friend’s tanks went without power for two days; everything died, but the Briareum still survived. It grows well once established, with very fuzzy polyps almost resembling a species of Xenia. It is best to keep this coral upright or at least in an area of its own, with minimal contact with your main rock work as it can encrust onto rocks and become somewhat invasive. In the wild it is common for Briareum to grow onto other corals and smother them, so it is important to keep that in mind when placing this species in your aquarium.
Muriceopsis is also a good choice as a beginner gorgonian. It looks like big purple feathers; in the wild it grows into large bushes a few feet in height. This gorgonian is fairly soft and sways in the current, so it is a nice coral to add if you are looking for more movement in your reef. It is very easy to keep and will tolerate many different tank conditions. It does like strong lighting and will flourish under Metal Halide, T5, and LED lighting. Since Muriceopsis grows well in reef tanks and is hardy, it is a good candidate for fragging. This type of gorgonian can also tolerate somewhat lower flow conditions making it a safe choice for seahorse and pipefish species aquarium.
翼龙Gorgonians被称为紫色刀片Gorgonians,是独特的,具有模糊的棕色息肉和深紫色的角枝。该物种发生在野外非常浅的潮汐泻湖中,因此最好将其保持在强烈的照明下和相当高的流动下。
当我第一次开始保留紫色刀片gorgonians时,我曾经认为他们很难保留,但是后来我意识到他们没有得到足够的流动。一旦我给了他们大量的流动,他们一直以良好的息肉扩展保持开放。它们的异常外观非常引人注目,可以帮助在礁石罐中添加一些有趣的垂直功能。
Antillogorgia是一种非常柔软的类似蕨类植物的Gorgonian,频率较低,但是如果您能找到一个好的供应商,则可以做出一个很好的补充。尽管这种物种的紫色种类含量更常见,但我的图片中有一个美丽的金色蛋白色调。处理时,这种珊瑚非常柔软,甚至粘稠。
By appearance it seems to be delicate, but is actually quite hardy and even had full polyp extension in the bag before I placed it in my aquarium. It will do best under strong light and good flow. Since it is so soft it is continually in motion when kept in a tank with good current.
Plexaurella Gorgonians有几种不同的颜色。从紫罗兰到奶油再到黑色。这些是光滑的分支Gorgonian,带有许多浅色息肉。尽管没有像前面的一些戈尔贡人那样常见的爱好,但他们将为任何礁石坦克提供一个很好的补充。
该物种往往比紫色的plexaura便宜,但是它具有相同的分支增长模式,并且是真正的美。
My favorite of all the photosynthetic gorgonians is definitelyPlexaura flexuosa. It has probably the strongest purple coloration of any of the gorgonians with smooth branches that are covered in hundreds of fuzzy, tan polyps. The common name is purple candelabra and smaller specimens of this species do indeed resemble a fancy candlestick holder.
这位戈贡人在野外长达几英尺长的大灌木丛,并且正在快速生长。Plexaura很少在业余爱好中获得,因为很难在野外小型发现,并且很少被潜水员收集。该珊瑚在具有强,可变且中度至高照明的储罐中表现良好。
This Reef Builders Magazine Article Brought to you by our friends atEcoxotic.