Red Gorgonian
The red gorgonian is a sedentary soft coral that can be found in oceans across the world. The red gorgonian coral is popular for the production of ornaments and jewelry because of its pink and red shades, especially those from the ocean waters of the Mediterranean.
Red Gorgonian Killed For Jewelry
The jewelry is extremely valuable to jewelers and popular among consumers because of the sheen the coral exhibits after being dried and polished. The red gorgonian coral gets its bright colors from its internal skeletal system, which is made up of a pointed, horny protein called gorgonin. The calcium-filled plates inside the red gorgonian skeleton create the vivid red, which can be seen Red Gorgonian Filter Feederin many commercial items, including precious red coral (the inner calcium plates are fused together) and in red coral necklaces (the branches of dead precious red coral are strung together).
Red Gorgonian Polyps
Although individually small (white polyps measure less than one centimeter in length), red gorgonian colonies will branch in one direction and can grow to 3 meters in height. Red gorgonian have eight pinnate tentacles (long and finger-like) that reach upwards from the polyps, and living tissues exhibit a vivid red color.
Red Gorgonian Aging
While red gorgonian coral have shown to age extremely slowly (less than eight centimeters a year), the red gorgonian species has a very high longevity when compared to other corals. Although an exact age is not known, various studies have discovered that red gorgonian corals that populate shallow reefs have a life span of decades, and corals that live in much deeper waters can live over 100 years. Unfortunately, these attributes make the red gorgonian coral very sensitive to environmental disturbances. The popularity of red gorgonians among divers and reef enthusiasts, in addition to the easy accessibility of colonies, make them over exposed to human activity which could potentially damage the sustainability of the species over time.
Red Gorgonian Shelter
Many species of fish and sea creatures find the red gorgonian extremely attractive sites for shelter and/or feed upon, including rockfish, mackerel, and flounder, in addition to rockfish, shrimp, crabs, anemones, sponges and snails. The expansive branches of the red gorgonian colonies make excellent protection from predators or suitable sites for suspension feeding, and the corals polyps can serve as a food group.
Red Gorgonian Not A Good Tank Inhabitant
While red gorgonian coral are popular choices to be placed in reef tanks and aquariums, they are more difficult to take care of versus other soft corals, as the red Red Gorgonian Culturegorgonian is very particular when it comes to lighting access and water movement. The red gorgonian should be placed at the very bottom of the tank, within close proximity to where the water gushes in from the filter. Many aqua culturists find canister filters to work the best for this type of coral, as the head can be manipulated in the exact direction of the red gorgonian. The water quality should consist of a steady temperature between 72 and 76F and salinity between 1.022 to 1.026. Lighting is one of the most important elements in keeping the red gorgonian alive, as this coral will need access to light 6 hours per day (make sure the light is set on a timer, as exposing more light than required can increase the temperature of the tank and contribute to an algae infection.
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