Gorgonian Propagating (branch type)

Kahuna,

I don't think they need to stay under water.  You can take it out to propagate it.  Gorgonians don't have a solid calcium skeleton under the flesh, so it makes it a little tricky to propagate, because they don't always glue well.  I would say making a 9" into 3 or 4 cuttings rather than 9 would be better.  Just my $.02, hopefully someone else will have other ideas.

Adam

I remember reading somewhere reputable where it stated that gorgonians were damaged if exposed to air but I laughed when I saw that because I know that that is not true.  I have had a gorgonian just fall apart though, and I contribute that to shock.  I usally just throw my new corals in the tank once I get them home (even though I know that this is ill-advised) all of my corals have had no problem with this except I'm coming to realized the doom of that gorgonian was attributed to this practice.

I have never seen any gorgonian recoop from being cut at both ends.  From my experience they don't seem to grow unless one end has not been exposed and you only glue the other end that has been cut.  But that is just my tank and it may work well in other tanks.  In other words it seems to grow better with its natural pointed tip that it had when it was in the ocean. 

Its also a good idea to make sure that the base that you are glueing is exposing its skeleton, because what will happen is its skin will die and it will fall out of its secured spot that you glued it in.