Menella indica Care Guide
Menella indica is a yellow non-photosynthetic Indo-Pacific gorgonian with white polyps that demands intensive feeding; an expert coral.
Overview
Menella indica, the yellow tree gorgonian, is a yellow non-photosynthetic (NPS) gorgonian with white polyps from the Indo-Pacific. Like other azooxanthellate gorgonians it lacks symbiotic algae and depends entirely on captured plankton, making it an expert-level coral.
Taxonomy
- Family: Plexauridae
- Scientific name: Menella indica
- WoRMS note: Menella indica (Ridley, 1887) is now accepted as Menella indiensis Ramvilas, Alderslade & Ranjeet, 2023
- Common synonyms: Yellow Finger Gorgonian
Habitat
The species originates from the Indo-Pacific. As a non-photosynthetic gorgonian it is not restricted to brightly lit reef zones and instead occupies habitats such as caves, overhangs and deeper reefs where it can capture plankton carried by water movement.
Aquarium requirements
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity (dKH): 8-11
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: below 20 ppm; Phosphate: below 0.15 ppm
- Lighting: low (about 0-50 PAR; no light dependence)
- Flow: high
- Minimum tank maturity: about 1 year
Feeding and compatibility
This NPS gorgonian requires intensive, frequent feeding of fine planktonic foods such as phytoplankton, amino acids and reef food powders. Suitable feeding regimes for NPS gorgonians involve offering small foods in large quantities at least several times per week. It is passive, lacks potent stinging tentacles, and is considered reef-safe, shrimp-safe and fish-safe. Reported growth is roughly 0.1-0.4 cm per month.