What type or photosynthetic ?

[Reesj]

Hi,
I'm hoping to buy this gorgonia tomorrow and was wondering what type it is?
More importantly is it photo synthetic?
Thanks.

 

[Reesj]

Humm I got it already, No idea still...

 

[dennis romano]

Is it really that red? I don't know of any red photosynthetic gorgis.

 

[tripdad]

Not an absolute rule but "most" photosynthetic gorg's have tan colored polyps. If they are bright white, etc. then my guess would be non-photosynthetic.

 

[Reesj]

Is it really that red? I don't know of any red photosynthetic gorgis.

Its actually purple/marron colour with its polyos also same colour. Here is a picture of it in my tank with a bit of whitning effect.
Although it looks like white fluffy polyps, when you have a look at it, they are actually also purple colour.

 

[dennis romano]

Tough to say. Where did you get it? Ask them where did it come from. If Caribbean, just about all purple gorgos are photosynthetic. It is definitely not a Caribbean NPS. If Pacific, most likely nonphotosynthetic. Divers Den has Pacific ones that look like yours. They are NPS. Anyway, you buried the base too deep. Any life on it must be out in the open. Glue it to a solid piece of rock so that it doesn't flop over. In any case, make sure that it gets some type of flow on it.

 

[Casket_Case]

Humm I got it already, No idea still...

That looks like a Red Finger Gorgonian with closed polyps? If it is a Red Finger Gorgonian then it is Non-Photosynthetic

 

[Reesj]

It comes from Sri LAnkan water where I live. So definitly not caribbean types. I placed it in the place where there is space and the most amount of current possible. I was also wondering about the burring it in sand part vs gluing to a rock. It has some polyps now burried which I know won't make it (about 1 inch).

I don;t think its a red finger though though shae looks like it, Its purple colour with same coloured polyps. When I read about red finger it says when its towards purple colour, the polyps are white.

 

[tripdad]

Not red finger, possibly purple sea whip, or try looking at purple sea rods, not for sure on the correct id.

 

[dennis romano]

Not a red finger. My guess is that it is nonphotosynthetic. If so, then it must be fed several times a day with food for filter feeders e.g. phyto or oyster eggs. Mix some up and squirt it upstream of the gorg so that the current will bring the food to it. It will sense the food and the polyps will open to catch the food. If it does this, then definitely nonphotosynthetic

 

[vetteguy53081]

It is that red and is red sea whip

 

[Reesj]

It is that red and is red sea whip

If you checked the picture in my tank you can see its more purple and almost no red to it. Most of the varities of purple I can find seems to have white polyps. But the polyps of this is also purple.

 

[vetteguy53081]

If you checked the picture in my tank you can see its more purple and almost no red to it. Most of the varities of purple I can find seems to have white polyps. But the polyps of this is also purple.

Not an easy task on a phone screen but im on my PC but in Cozumel, I ran into some purple sea fan which had purple polyps which the polyps were quite small.
The one you show express more of a sea whip to me but could be fan also