Whats going on?

[cookie]

I have some pulsing xenia and several of the polyps are falling off. Any thoughts on why this may be happening?

Thanks....

Cookie Monster

 

[jake65]

I'm sure we can find the answer for you but first we need a little info about your tank, ie. parameters, size, flow, inhabitants etc.

Oh and Welcome to RF

 

[returnofsid]

That's actually one way that Xenia naturally spreads. Pretty soon you'll see it popping up in other areas.

 

[cookie]

That's actually one way that Xenia naturally spreads. Pretty soon you'll see it popping up in other areas.

Interesting....thanks...with stems grow new polyps?

 

[cookie]

I'm sure we can find the answer for you but first we need a little info about your tank, ie. parameters, size, flow, inhabitants etc.

Oh and Welcome to RF

Ok...I have a 75 gallon tank with 60 pounds of live rock. I have had the tank since early August of 2008. I have three powerheads, maxi jet I believe. I have a remora pro skimmer and of course a heater. I have a sand bottom. For fish I have a dragon goby, and a true percula (one) which hosts in a long tentacle anemone with his little anemone crab buddy. I have a cleaner shrimp and a fire shrimp (I think that is what he is called,,,he is red with white dots), i have a emerald crab, and a variety of snails. I have some frogspawn and a brain coral too. I believe my powerheads say 1200 on them. Just did some chemistry test and the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels are VERY VERY minimal if not zero. My salinity is 1.025 and the water temp is 76.5. I do not have a ph tester and will invest in one tomorrow. Hope this can help you help me!

 

[Pentagona]

Temp is a little on the low side, may consider bringing up closer to 80 degrees. How are the other corals behaving? Any signs of stress with them? Is the Xenia anywhere in proximity to other stinging celled Cniderians? In particular the brain as many send out LONG and powerfull sweeper tentacles at night after the tank lights go out. I have a goniastrea that has some sweepers as long as ten to twelve inches, so give them a WIDE berth. How is the lighting in the area of the tank you have them in? Do they look otherwise "wilted" or slowly pulsing? May be an indicator of an environmental thing they are not happy with. If they look shriveled before they fall off, I would deffinitely be more suspicious of a sting injury from something else in the tank.

 

[Pickles]

Does brain coral sting?

 

[cookie]

Temp is a little on the low side, may consider bringing up closer to 80 degrees. How are the other corals behaving? Any signs of stress with them? Is the Xenia anywhere in proximity to other stinging celled Cniderians? In particular the brain as many send out LONG and powerfull sweeper tentacles at night after the tank lights go out. I have a goniastrea that has some sweepers as long as ten to twelve inches, so give them a WIDE berth. How is the lighting in the area of the tank you have them in? Do they look otherwise "wilted" or slowly pulsing? May be an indicator of an environmental thing they are not happy with. If they look shriveled before they fall off, I would deffinitely be more suspicious of a sting injury from something else in the tank.

Great thanks...i will bring up the temp. The xenia is not near anything that would be able to sting it. I have noticed that my brain coral does have what I am assuming are the sweeper tentacles you speak of. Are they LONG?...well they are not what I would consider long, I mean they are not like xenia by any means but they are there and only present at times. I really have no idea what they are, if they are bad or good, and what purpose they serve...any insight would be great as I have not been too successful in finding answers via google. My xenia does not look wilted in fact looks very healthy. Thanks for the help and thanks in advance for any further help, thoughts, or suggestions

 

[CarlaW]

Does brain coral sting?

All corals sting, it is just the level of sting that you need to worry about. Grab Eric Borneman's "Aquarium Corals", for the placement of various corals. Rule of thumb is usually 6" apart. That being said, if you put a torch coral in a high flow area, you are probably asking for trouble.
HTH

 

[Pentagona]

Cookie:
Do you know what species of brain you have? Sweeper tentacles "usually" only come out at night, though one of my goni's seems to always have one or two out during the day most times. The sweepers are definitely long. Anything longer than 1/2" or so would be a sweeper for most species. If there are several short tentacles rimming the edge of the septa, maybe a couple of millemeters long, those are their feeding tentacles. Again, those will mostly come out after the tank lights go out as well.

 

[cookie]

Cookie:
Do you know what species of brain you have? Sweeper tentacles "usually" only come out at night, though one of my goni's seems to always have one or two out during the day most times. The sweepers are definitely long. Anything longer than 1/2" or so would be a sweeper for most species. If there are several short tentacles rimming the edge of the septa, maybe a couple of millemeters long, those are their feeding tentacles. Again, those will mostly come out after the tank lights go out as well.

I am not sure what kind of brain it is....the only things I have seen come out of it are really really short tentacles that usually do come out at night. I am thinking they are the feeding tentacles. I will try to fing out what kind it is.

 

[cookie]

I am not sure what kind of brain it is....the only things I have seen come out of it are really really short tentacles that usually do come out at night. I am thinking they are the feeding tentacles. I will try to fing out what kind it is.

FOUND IT....its a brain worm platygyra, its from Fiji