Pulsing Xenia

[Adam'sShrimplet]

Any ideas on what proper husbandry for this coral is? What water qualtity does it thrive in? Feeding it? If anyone one has an experiance with this coral please let me know what you did or did not do with this coral to keep it happy and healthy.

 

[returnofsid]

I think most of us here have had experience with Xenia. It's very easy to care for. Very undemanding about lighting, flow or water quality, although, you want to keep your water quality as good as possible in any reef tank. As for feeding, it doesn't need any direct feeding and will feed from the water column. It's not hard at all to keep Xenia happy. In fact, if you have it, it'll soon start spreading everywhere!!!

 

[mmn_usn]

So easy that I would say most think that it is a weed.

 

[tat2z_21]

It likes to grow and grow and grow. I was thinking of actually gluing a frag to my back glass to see if it could take over the back glass.

 

[returnofsid]

Good luck gluing it....lol. I have seen quite a few tanks with the entire back covered in Xenia. Looks really cool. I'd like to try it with GSP.

 

[jake65]

you could probably get xenia to grow in your toilet bowl if you tried hard enough...lol

 

[mmn_usn]

I will have to try the septic tank.. just flush it... I have had it grow from the rock to the back of the tank. It is really easy to scrape off for fragging.

 

[g0rFz]

one thing you must have is flow on it to make it wave somewhat...u cant have it stagnant or it will not be able to wave around and sift the water for food. i lost my first stock because i didnt have enough flow (dont need much) but since i learned, i have a thriving colony

 

[Sgtomko]

I think xenia are quite autotrophic aren't they? maybe i've got this mixed up.

 

[g0rFz]

yes i think they are probably more photosynthetic than filter feeders.

 

[bbehring]

Dang if you were close to me, I'd cut 8 to 10 stalks out and give the stuff to you for free! Have done this time after time for some of my reef buddies around the so cal area. The stuff doesn't travel very well though. I initially tried to by some and had is shipped USPS priority and all was DOA! Buy it locally.

 

[Gordonious]

"I was thinking of actually gluing a frag to my back glass to see if it could take over the back glass. "

Bad idea, large colonies like that will crash 99% of the time.

returnofsid, any photos? Sure it was xenia and not brarium(sp?)?

g0rFz, it is a lot more likely that you're colony died because it wasn't able to get rid of waist then it would be that it starved to death. These corals practically don't feed at all.

 

[returnofsid]

Gordonious, nope, it was Xenia. I don't have any photos though as it wasn't my tanks. It was regularly peeled off and given away.

Gorf, I agree that your colony didn't die from lack of flow. Xenia does quite well in just about all flow situations, including none at all. I have it growing in a 10 gallon Pod tank with nothing but Chaeto and some live sand. There isn't even a powerhead or light.

 

[Gordonious]

I am not saying it didn't die from lack of flow, I think that is possible, but I am saying it for sure did not die because food items were not brought to it. Most scientists and authors are careful to mention both sides of the equation when talking about the importance of flow with corals: bring food and remove waiste. Also, ff xenia is unhappy or brought into the air it can slime over to protect itself, like many leathers and that slime needs to be blown away by a current.

I actually have seen Xenia do horrible and even crash in low flow, with the exact same water chemistry as xenia that was doing well. I placed some in a slow flow fuge connected to my reef tank. The lights were a little difference, but I would blaim the flow mostly for this.

 

[Sascha D]

LOL you guys are funny!

Everyone always love watching pulsing xenia!

 

[bbehring]

exactly, it grows like a stinkin weed! I don't think I could kill if I try? Oh, ya I have tried and it's still working to take over my tank! I mow it down and it comes back with in 3 weeks! Somebody help!

 

[Gordonious]

You could lower you salinity a little. Certain species have a rough time making it when you get to about 1.023. Just a thought, but not sure what else it might mess with in your tank, so don't get upset if it has adverse effects.

The only other way I could think of would be to find an army of Xenia eating crabs which would prove to be extremly difficult to locate.