I don't get it. I've tried many different times in the last year and a half since I started, and can't keep any xenia alive. I have tried several different kinds as well. Usually within a couple days, the fingers fall off the polyps, it shrivels up and dissapears. I can keep almost anything else alive in the same tank. Any ideas?
Why can't I keep xenia alive?
- Thread starter Faciosity
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Inconservatory
Well-known member
Do you run activated carbon?
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
Well when you say keep anything alive, is it just alive or do you actually see growth. The only reason I ask is because XENIA is a very picky coral, often an indicator species, and what I mean by indicator, is that they usually are the ones to go first when there is an issue with water quality. If you PH goes low they go low. I would definately look into water quality and if that is good then I would look at tank inhabitants. Do you have anything in there that might pick at them. I know that I had a fish that loved to pick. Then I would look at placement. is there too much flow, lack of flow, corals around it. All of these things could play a huge part in keeping these corals.
From what Ive seen over the years.....some tanks cant support xenia and some tanks are a haven for the stuff. IME water quality in alot of cases has nothing to do with it. It simply does not like some tanks.
For example. the stuff grows like a weed for me. I cant kill it even when I try. Class Clown, who's tank was far prettier than mine when he broke it down could barely grow only one kind.
For example. the stuff grows like a weed for me. I cant kill it even when I try. Class Clown, who's tank was far prettier than mine when he broke it down could barely grow only one kind.
balogh03
Well-known member
I agree.... When my dads tank was setup, we had the exact same water and dosed the same things. However they would melt in a matter of days in his tank and grow like crazy for me. Now obviously there will always be differences in every tank, but when testing the numbers were identical.
-augustus
iroll253
Well-known member
I feel like they like a little bit of nitrates.. When i ran carbon my lps thrived and my Xenia died.
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
IME they are VEEEEEEERRRRRRYYYY sensitive to Alkalinity. They let me know when there is an issue. Close up and shribble into teeny tiny little pebbles. I fix my alkalinity and they go right back to thriving "take over the tank" health.
iroll253
Well-known member
lol i dont like the take over tank health ill never keep them again. =)
Some are tricky though.
Some are tricky though.
Thank all of you for the insight. I've already heard almost everything you have told me about these corals, except the ph. Mine is acceptable, but could probably go up .1 or.2. I do use carbon, but test frequently for nitrates ( I had an unexplained spike a while back and lost a ton of stuff) and always have a little in there. Maybe I was cursed with a non-xenia setup. It's a shame, because so many people consider them weeds and we love them.
It also came to mind that they might just not live for lack of a sturdy home. I have a pencil urchin that I am almost regreting because he is clumsy and knocks things around. All but one time the xenia has came off the rock before dying. Didn't know if it was knocked loose, or detached in hopes for a better home.
estoniangirl
....???....
well when i first started out with saltwater i got a 12 gal aquapod, the one thing i really wanted to have in it was the pom poms, xenia, and every time i put one in the tank it would do the same thing to it, melt it, kill it what ever, it would be gone in a few days, i was shocked that everything else lives and they die. in december my hunney got me a bigger set up with a MH i transfered all my stuff over to the bigger set up from my nano and decided to give the pom poms another try, fingers crossed, they are doing wonderfully, even multiplying FINALLY. someone told me to add iodide in it so i keep on adding that stuff in, so not 100% sure if it's the light that keeps it alive or the iodide, but try it, maybe it will work for you. and good luck!!!!!!!i know how you feel i've been there....keep us posted...
mcoomer
Who's your daddy?!?
I'm in the same boat as the OP. I've tried several times in the past to put a xenia frag in the tank and it's never taken hold. I've got healthy SPS and LPS corals in my 11 year old tank so I really find it curious that xenia won't grow. After hearing some of the horror stories of xenia taking over tanks it might be a good thing I never got any started.
Mike
Mike
Katchupoy
Well-known member
Dont feel bad. You are not alone. Even Dang (thamarindthai) who has a georgeous tank cannot keep zenias. I keep giving him and they keep dying... In my case, I cant keep sps... all my softies and lps thrive but not sps. And my tank is a kind of tank that i dont pay too much attention, no water change, no nothing except feeding the fishes. I have been very busy.... But lately, i try to keep up with my tank. started dosing calcium and alkalinity. This is my 2nd week, mind you. And half of my colony of zenias melt and or melting right now. So it might be with alkalinity. Keep monitoring it. and write down everything, so you can go back and see what works and whats not.
