Prof. Dr. Charles J. Sheppard, Vereinigtes Königreich
Info
Eunicea calyculata,
Very specíal thanks for the first photo of Eunicea tayrona to Prof. Dr. Charles G. Messing, Nova Southeastern University, USA.
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.
Eunicea calyculata is the only species of the genus Eunicea that has a bushy branching pattern and does not branch candelabra-like predominantly in one plane.
Instead, it forms columns of flexible, tangled branches that branch along their entire length, not just in the basal region.
The branches of the grogonia are ascending, thick, flexible, cylindrical, long and usually 6.0 - 20 mm in diameter.
At greatest depth, however, distinctly thin branches are formed.
Eunicea calyculata does not form slime.
The colour of the gorgonian varies from reddish ochre to beige and dark ochre.
Habitat: On forereef terraces and seaward reefs moderately exposed to waves and currents.
Very specíal thanks for the first photo of Eunicea tayrona to Prof. Dr. Charles G. Messing, Nova Southeastern University, USA.
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.
Eunicea calyculata is the only species of the genus Eunicea that has a bushy branching pattern and does not branch candelabra-like predominantly in one plane.
Instead, it forms columns of flexible, tangled branches that branch along their entire length, not just in the basal region.
The branches of the grogonia are ascending, thick, flexible, cylindrical, long and usually 6.0 - 20 mm in diameter.
At greatest depth, however, distinctly thin branches are formed.
Eunicea calyculata does not form slime.
The colour of the gorgonian varies from reddish ochre to beige and dark ochre.
Habitat: On forereef terraces and seaward reefs moderately exposed to waves and currents.
