NOAA-USGS-Deep Sea Systems International
Info
Horn corals of the genus Nicella belong to the family Ellisellidae, gorgonian-like octocorals.
The colonies of Nicella americana examined are uniplanar and large, up to 60 cm high and 55 cm wide, and as in Nicella goreaui, the fan is slightly curved away from the current.
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.
The largest basal main branch was 8 mm in diameter.
Branching begins and paersists very close to the base of the colony.
Most colonies are intense to bright orange, the calyxes are usually slightly lighter orange, but not white.
Similar species: Nicella americana, Nicella deichmannae, and Nicella ramosa.
An examination of the sclerites of the type specimens of Nicella americana and Nicellaa ramosa using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed no significant differences.
Synonym: Nicella ramosa Toeplitz in Kükenthal, 1919
The colonies of Nicella americana examined are uniplanar and large, up to 60 cm high and 55 cm wide, and as in Nicella goreaui, the fan is slightly curved away from the current.
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.
The largest basal main branch was 8 mm in diameter.
Branching begins and paersists very close to the base of the colony.
Most colonies are intense to bright orange, the calyxes are usually slightly lighter orange, but not white.
Similar species: Nicella americana, Nicella deichmannae, and Nicella ramosa.
An examination of the sclerites of the type specimens of Nicella americana and Nicellaa ramosa using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed no significant differences.
Synonym: Nicella ramosa Toeplitz in Kükenthal, 1919
