Frédéric Andre, Frankreich
Info
Despite its European/African distribution, little is known about this horn coral, so it took us a long time to find data on its size (220 mm wide and 180 mm high) and depth distribution (0-30 meters).
Large populations of gorgonians can develop in their habitats.
Colonies of Eunicella gazella are always white with orange polyps, and the colony surface is generally homogeneous with little relief and extensive branching, mostly in one dimension.
Recommendation - the coral should be kept in a species-specific tank.
Feeding
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.
Etymology:
The species name “gazella” probably refers to a gazelle-like characteristic, referring to the fast and elegant movements of the coral in the current zone of the oceans.
Synonyms:
Eunicella furcata (Studer, 1878) · unaccepted > junior homonym ((of Gorgonia furcata Lamarck, 1816))
Gorgonia furcata Studer, 1878 · unaccepted > junior homonym
Large populations of gorgonians can develop in their habitats.
Colonies of Eunicella gazella are always white with orange polyps, and the colony surface is generally homogeneous with little relief and extensive branching, mostly in one dimension.
Recommendation - the coral should be kept in a species-specific tank.
Feeding
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.
Etymology:
The species name “gazella” probably refers to a gazelle-like characteristic, referring to the fast and elegant movements of the coral in the current zone of the oceans.
Synonyms:
Eunicella furcata (Studer, 1878) · unaccepted > junior homonym ((of Gorgonia furcata Lamarck, 1816))
Gorgonia furcata Studer, 1878 · unaccepted > junior homonym
