Beeba
Well-known member
Over the past few weeks my pulsing Xenia have been shriveled up. They have little bumps on the stalks and they are not pulsing much. Anyone have any suggestions?
Pulsing Xenia shriveled up
- Thread starter Beeba
- Start date
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loohunter
Fish lover
have you made any changes to the tank at all, lights water flow, massive water change, not enough water changes, ime these guys are a little tempermental,but seem to adjust eventualy
Beeba
Well-known member
Not really. Everything else in the tank is great and I haven't done anything different. My LFS owner told me to add some iodine. He suggested that I use Kent Marine Coral-Vite. I started that this past weekend. About two weeks ago I had noticed my water temp was a little on the low side so I turned up the heater. I figured this was because of the cold weather. It does that every year. The temp was still in the green and I checked it every few days but it stayed a little low so I turned up the heater a little more. Yesterday I discovered the heater was not working. The temp in the tank had never gone below the green marker on my thermometer but it was still lower than normal. I'm slowly warming it back up. It is currently at 75.
charlyclown
Active member
What was the lowest temperature you had in your tank?
What other corals do you have in your tank and are they doing all fine? Also, how old are your lights? Do you have any pictures?
What other corals do you have in your tank and are they doing all fine? Also, how old are your lights? Do you have any pictures?
Beeba
Well-known member
My lights were just changed about 3 months ago. The lowest temp that I saw was around 68. I have zoos, several different mushroom corals including hairy mushrooms, green star polyps, colt coral, hairy finger leather, gonipora, and pink star polyps. I also have a rose bubble tip anemone. All of these look very healthy and didn't show any signs of stress over the temp change. I do have a problem with green hair algae. Could this be a causing them problems?
Here is a picture but the lights are already out so it is more shirveled than normal. Not much though.
Here is a picture but the lights are already out so it is more shirveled than normal. Not much though.
Beeba
Well-known member
This is a picture of my full tank. All of the other corals look good except the xenia.
Beeba
Well-known member
Just to make it clear I have circled the pulsing xenia in the picture. It used to be so pretty and was growing daily.
xenia like high nutrients, they seem to do well in high flow areas and in close proximity to the effluent of a pump. if you have such a place try moving it there for a while. they like to have their polyps in good motion. xenia are a weed coral usually will do well anywhere.
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Beeba
Well-known member
Would a powerhead work? I have one that flows near it without blowing directly on it.
Beeba
Well-known member
One thing I haven't been doing is feeding phytoplankton lately. Maybe that is the problem.
Beeba
Well-known member
I don't like the hair algea either but I'm struggling to get rid of it. Any suggestions? I'm open to anything. It is actually doing better. I've been doing more frequent water changes and using a phosphate remover.
matts125
Well-known member
algae
Hey Beeba, I had that same algae problem and I bought 6 lettuce nudibranchs and 6 mexican turbo snails they took care of it all in 2 weeks or less in my 120 gallon tank, I think mainly the nudi's were what helped. that alge is also part of your prob with your xenia, the algae will steal all the nutrients from it and eventually take over small soft corals like xenia and polyps like zoanthids, you should definatley start feeding phyto again as well, as far as the iodine I think the best and safest to use is the kent marine tech I...
Hope this helps!!!
Matt
Hey Beeba, I had that same algae problem and I bought 6 lettuce nudibranchs and 6 mexican turbo snails they took care of it all in 2 weeks or less in my 120 gallon tank, I think mainly the nudi's were what helped. that alge is also part of your prob with your xenia, the algae will steal all the nutrients from it and eventually take over small soft corals like xenia and polyps like zoanthids, you should definatley start feeding phyto again as well, as far as the iodine I think the best and safest to use is the kent marine tech I...
Hope this helps!!!
Matt
Beeba
Well-known member
Thanks Matt. I definitely appreciate the help. I will start back with the phyto tomorrow. Also I bought six turbo snails two weeks ago and another ten this weekend so that is definitely helping with the algea. My LFS does not have any lettuce nudibranchs so I would have to order them. The turbos and the astreas are definitely doing a good job so far.
matts125
Well-known member
algae
Another thing you can do is have a water change ready and pick all the larger chunks of the algae off with your fingers, take your time with this it might take a couple hours, after you get that done take a tooth brush and scrub the rest of the algae as best you can, then blow all the rock off with a powerhead, then to finish things up do a water change cause your water will need it!!!
Keep in mind you may need to spend 2-4 hrs to get all that alge off yourself, but you can do it, and once it is gone for the most part your turbos should keep it from getting bad like that again...
Matt
Another thing you can do is have a water change ready and pick all the larger chunks of the algae off with your fingers, take your time with this it might take a couple hours, after you get that done take a tooth brush and scrub the rest of the algae as best you can, then blow all the rock off with a powerhead, then to finish things up do a water change cause your water will need it!!!
Keep in mind you may need to spend 2-4 hrs to get all that alge off yourself, but you can do it, and once it is gone for the most part your turbos should keep it from getting bad like that again...
Matt
xenia do not eat phyto. yes let a portion of the the power head discharge blow on it as long as it is not too close.you want strong water movement but not strong water shear. blowing (with a baster or pump) off the areas where the algae is growing. hi po4 and no3 = hair algae the white bead type phos removers leach alumina, most corals do not tolerate it *xenia for one* the iron oxide type is better.water changes barely help for exporting no3 as it leaches out of the rock, sand etc. are you using a skimmer?, kalkwasser? filters? all filters in time become no3 producers, things like bio balls, bio wheels , pads if you are using filters shut them down. try bacteria for the no3. (your tank is beautiful by the way" do you disturb the sand bed? any critters that do? ie: sand sifting stars, fish.good strong water movement is a deterrent to hair algae. you need to look at what you are putting into the tank, foods, additives, brine shrimp are out of sight with po4. the phyto will benefit your rock and sand bed, almost all corals are carnivores. it is a major polluter also.
seachem reef IODIDE is the best, iodine is not a good choice for reef, there is a big difference tween the two. plan on giving away or selling all those snails you are getting for the hair algae as after the algae is gone ( and it will be) they will starve to death as will the lettuce nudies. I would venture to say you have enough snails, better to build up a nice family then bringing in a crew that will have death as their reward for their services.
matts125 hey! sorry to step on your toes about the iodine
besides being iodine it is a time release and I feel it as that leaves us with not knowing how much is in the tank at any given time , so I figure it would be likely to be over dosed
besides being iodine it is a time release and I feel it as that leaves us with not knowing how much is in the tank at any given time , so I figure it would be likely to be over dosed
Jiddy
Well-known member
Hows the Xenia doing?
