Prof. Dr. Charles G. Messing, (†), USA
Info
Very specíal thanks for the first photo of Eunicea clavigera to Prof. Dr. Charles G. Messing, Nova Southeastern University, USA
Eunicea clavigera,
The Caribbean gorgonian Eunicea clavigera forms candelabra or bushy shapes with a few long, irregular branches, its long branches are between 5 and 15 mm in diameter.
Unlike other gorgonians, this one does not form slime.
The colour of the coral ranges from dark brown to black, the polyps have pale brown tentacles.
Recommendation - the coral should be kept in a species-specific tank.
Feeding
The majority of gorgonians do not have zooxanthellae and do not live off light. Azooxanthellate gorgonians do not host symbiotic algae that produce nutrients and energy through photosynthesis.
The pumps should be switched off before feeding. In order for the gorgonian to survive in the aquarium, each individual polyp must be fed sufficiently, i.e. daily or 3-4 times a week. Without feeding, the gorgonian will not survive in the aquarium. The polyps need a certain amount of time to absorb the food (granules or dust food (Ultramarin, Cyclop Eeze) or frozen food (lobster eggs, mysis)). If shrimp and fish are present, they will try to steal the food, so it is essential to feed these cohabitants beforehand.
Newly introduced gorgonian sticks can be stimulated with a liquid food, e.g., PolypLab Polyp, to encourage the individual polyps to open. Only then can feeding be carried out.
The better the individual polyps take up the food provided, the better the growth and reproduction rates will be.
Azooxanthellate corals eat suspensions, marine snow, microplankton, and other organic matter, which is their natural food.
Habitat: Semi-exposed reefs with not too strong waves and surf.
Remarks: Eunicea clavigera displays very long polyps, among the largest of the Eunicea species, both branchial thickness and polyp length are highly variable.
Dr. Juan A. Armando Sánchez (2009) found two morphotypes:
A slender form ~20 cm tall with branches up to 12 cm long, often with few, mainly small, club sclerites, larger polyp rods and robust mid-layer sclerites visible at the surface, and a thick form reaching ~40 cm tall with thick branches up to 2 cm in diameter near the base, usually up to 20 cm long.
Imports of the Caribbean gorgonian are not known.
Source: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/octocoral_e_clavigera/
Eunicea clavigera,
The Caribbean gorgonian Eunicea clavigera forms candelabra or bushy shapes with a few long, irregular branches, its long branches are between 5 and 15 mm in diameter.
Unlike other gorgonians, this one does not form slime.
The colour of the coral ranges from dark brown to black, the polyps have pale brown tentacles.
Recommendation - the coral should be kept in a species-specific tank.
Feeding
The majority of gorgonians do not have zooxanthellae and do not live off light. Azooxanthellate gorgonians do not host symbiotic algae that produce nutrients and energy through photosynthesis.
The pumps should be switched off before feeding. In order for the gorgonian to survive in the aquarium, each individual polyp must be fed sufficiently, i.e. daily or 3-4 times a week. Without feeding, the gorgonian will not survive in the aquarium. The polyps need a certain amount of time to absorb the food (granules or dust food (Ultramarin, Cyclop Eeze) or frozen food (lobster eggs, mysis)). If shrimp and fish are present, they will try to steal the food, so it is essential to feed these cohabitants beforehand.
Newly introduced gorgonian sticks can be stimulated with a liquid food, e.g., PolypLab Polyp, to encourage the individual polyps to open. Only then can feeding be carried out.
The better the individual polyps take up the food provided, the better the growth and reproduction rates will be.
Azooxanthellate corals eat suspensions, marine snow, microplankton, and other organic matter, which is their natural food.
Habitat: Semi-exposed reefs with not too strong waves and surf.
Remarks: Eunicea clavigera displays very long polyps, among the largest of the Eunicea species, both branchial thickness and polyp length are highly variable.
Dr. Juan A. Armando Sánchez (2009) found two morphotypes:
A slender form ~20 cm tall with branches up to 12 cm long, often with few, mainly small, club sclerites, larger polyp rods and robust mid-layer sclerites visible at the surface, and a thick form reaching ~40 cm tall with thick branches up to 2 cm in diameter near the base, usually up to 20 cm long.
Imports of the Caribbean gorgonian are not known.
Source: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/octocoral_e_clavigera/
