Problems with Xenia

[risin]

I have a large colony of Xenia umbellata, one half of it is doing poorly. The problem started about3-4 weeks ago (very minor), but got bad about 3-4 days ago. I have had it for about 6 months during which it expanded about 10x and I have been selling frags. It is still pulsing, but it is shriveled looking and not getting as big as usual. Also there are some white spots that look like something was eating it. Here are some recent changes/occurances:

-I have an emerald crab that was recently hanging out in the xenia colony 24/7 for about 4 weeks now. I could never tell if he was eating it, possibly piercing it with his legs, but he was definitely stressing it. He is now visiting the refugium as of yesterday.

-1 week ago I removed some large chucks of white sponge from around the base of the colony. The reason for this is the xenia was starting attach to the sponge, the sponge would break off, and my xenia would go on a ride; I did not want it to spread. I was very careful, gently grabbing the large chucks and removing them from the water immediately. Put in fresh carbon for this.

-3 weeks ago I finally got some calibration fluids and realized that my salt was at 1.022, over the course of 3 weeks I brought it up to 1.025. Also found that my PH was 7.8. I have been trying to raise the PH, but I am having a hard time getting it higher than 8.1 (peak).

-There is a green polyp leather upstream from the colony. The side of the colony doing poorly is nearest the green polyp leather. But... the closest 2 pieces to the leather (4-5 inches) are doing fine.

- I did a 20% water change last night and tested all of my parameters:

Alk=10.5 dkh
ca=370
PH=8.1
nitrate= 0-10
nitrite= 0-10
Phosphate=0
ammonia=0
Mg=1500 (high, I need to get another test kit to confirm this)
Water temp 78.9-80.2 over this past week.
Orp= 368, down from 400 3 weeks ago
Salt=1.025
Tank is 55L, 40 gal sump w/fuge, protien skimmer, filter sock, UV sterilizer, carbon.

Lastly, the other corals are doing fantastic, my blue zoos are brighter, my frog spawn is growing, and my calastrea is starting to split (first time I've noticed growth on it in months).

 

[airinhere]

smart money is on your emerald crab getting a little xenia dinner while you arent looking.

 

[risin]

That's what I thought, but now I'm thinking he was just there eating the dead stuff. A couple of the smaller pieces flat out died, so I took out all the stuff that had the same symptoms... Now I'm left with about 10% of a colony that was about a square foot. I'm thinking the green polyp leather is the killer, I'll pretty certain they pack potent toxins. I'll be happy if nothing else dies.

 

[corey]

That's what I thought, but now I'm thinking he was just there eating the dead stuff. A couple of the smaller pieces flat out died, so I took out all the stuff that had the same symptoms... Now I'm left with about 10% of a colony that was about a square foot. I'm thinking the green polyp leather is the killer, I'll pretty certain they pack potent toxins. I'll be happy if nothing else dies.

my experience has been that xenia kind of takes over everything usually leathers the polyps will start to turn white if there is a war between the two, sounds like to me that the ca. is the problem, xenia i usually the first to show symptoms of stress

 

[roblou]

I have heard that xenia is an excellent indicator of low iodine levels. In regards to iodine, I have heard that test kits for iodine are no good because it quickly gets absorbed into living tissue, therefore is very hard to test in the water. But, xenia can be used as a gauge to tell if iodine is low.

I have a bunch of xenia and never had to dose iodine, but I do a lot of water changes also. Maybe test iodine or dose a little might be in order? But, also be careful not to overdose...

hth,
rob

 

[roblou]

Also, FWIW, I have a very large toadstool leather and a very large yellow leather in my 45g along with a bunch of xenia, and IME the leathers have not caused the xenia any problems...

 

[risin]

So... I'm not sure about the iodine, I should be getting replenished through water changes. I do 15-20% twice a month. As for the ca, it has always been on the low side in my tank and the xenia grew rapidly. It's tough to say... I know xenia is sensitive to changes so I'm trying to figure out what happened...

I did notice a temperature issue today, which I could have been missing for the last month or so as I haven't been home during the day much. My temp was getting up to 81.6 in the middle of the day. I try to keep it at 80.

 

[tike]

I really can't find the link right now..... but i have read of xenia dying off once the the temp gets above 80. Many years ago when i had xenia over running my tank i raised the temp to 82 and within a few months it reduced their numbers greatly. So, I would believe the tall temps are causing the problem.

 

[Damsel13]

I have pom pom (whatever that means exactly) xenia living and thriving in 84 F temps. yep sorry to say. I am getting it down slowly, but it has been up there for awhile. Like a few weeks. I didn't realize the temp was so high cause I am a newbie to reef lighting.

 

[morgan]

borenman has done studies on xeina and idione and there is no positive link between the 2 i personaly and a friend neaither does idione and have crazy xeina also do not use salt mix so if there is idione in the tank its from natural sea water

 

[tasos]

What is that reading of nitrites you are getting?Xenia loves nutrients in the water and high quality of water clean of polutants!Mine likes heavy feading(not targeted).Xenia also likes light..........did you not changed the lambs properly?

 

[risin]

The nitrite reading is "0-10" because there was a hint of pink, but not as dark as the first level (10) on the test kit. I do have weak lighting 260W PC 10K/actinic. I clean the bulbs every month and they are 10 months old. I should probably start changing them.

 

[aaron7405]

I have read than changes on the flow makes xenia to die too.

 

[SierraReefer]

I have crazy xenia growth and I frag it often. It grows like weeds for over a year. I used to dose iodine and still sometimes do but I have gone months without adding any and the Xenia growth wasn't affected at all. I have also noticed that higher temps over an extended period of time seem to have a negative affect on xenia. I have had readable and non existant nitrate levels and that doesn't seem to have any affect whatsoever. I have also had high flow and low flow and that doesn't seem to affect much either. If I had to suggest flow it likes moderate alternating flow. Xenia always grows up towards the top of the tank so that leads me to believe it likes lots of light. The only problem I now have is a flame angel that goes right down the row and nips my xenia often but I have so much that it can't irritate enough of it on a regular basis to affect it. I hope this helps.

 

[billaweed]

The nitrite reading is "0-10" because there was a hint of pink, but not as dark as the first level (10) on the test kit. I do have weak lighting 260W PC 10K/actinic. I clean the bulbs every month and they are 10 months old. I should probably start changing them.

thats not bad lighting. If your referring to the lighting type "PC" that doesnt reall mean anything. I suppose you probably should change your bulbs. I dont know what the life is on pc bulbs. but 260 watts is plenty for xenia in a 55 gallon tank.

 

[Damsel13]

risin,

just changed one of my 96 watt pc bulbs (corallife) and it was about 10 months old. The other one on my 55 gal is about 5 months old. I didn't notice the xenia suffering but have had some bleaching of hammerhead coral and bubbletip anemone. I hope this new bulb helps. I will keep you posted.

 

[risin]

smart money is on your emerald crab getting a little xenia dinner while you arent looking.

Sorry I didn't follow up on this, I've been busy. I would like to point out that is was the emerald crap. He has been living in the sump for about 6 weeks now and the xenia is growing faster than ever. It will be time to start fragging again soon.

 

[Spracklcat]

Good to hear. Also, I have read that the Sarcophyton leather corals and Xenia actually grow better together--this from Mr. Calfo's book where he talks about combining Xenia and Sarcophyton in growout tanks. I have to agree--in my own tank I had a few small Sarcophyton frags, and some time after I added some Xenia and it got a good foothold and started taking off, the Sarcophytons did too. Strange, but true.

 

[airinhere]

Good to hear you got this issue corrected. Too often problems in our tanks are almost impossible to figure out.