Xenia Attached To Halimeda Algae

[debdeb]

I have a small Xenia that I bought on a rock that has a couple mushrooms and a tiny piece of Halimeda. The Halimeda has grown so fast and big that it was rubbing on the stalk of the Xenia. I was going to move the algae to another rock but hadn't done it yet. I noticed yesterday that the stalk of Xenia was completely sliced off about 1/2" above the rock and now is attached to a blade of the Halimeda and doing fine. Please help. I need to re-attach the Xenia to a rock away from the algae. Will the stump of the Xenia that was left behind grow more polyps? Can I break the Halimeda off of the rock it's on and attach it somewhere else without hurting it? I'm not sure what to do. :notsure:

 

[sharkbait9]

Halimeda grows like a weed don‘t fret about that. Try and remove the base of the halimeda and anchor it down with some crazy glue gel to a new larger piece of rubble rock, it will continue to grow so again don‘t fret about it The xenia stump will grow up big and strong too, if it was thriving in your tank to begin with. You can pick off the “leaf” or “leaves” that he xenia is stuck to and clue that down some place and have another colony growing. If you can pick off the xenia from the halimeda you can do that too. Xenia, if they take to your tank will grow and spread like wild fire. A cool softy, but given the chance they will take over.

 

[debdeb]

Thanks Sharkbait. I really like this Xenia and it has really grown well. It was a tiny frag about 1 1/2" tall with 5 polyps when I got it about 2 months ago. It is about 5" tall (well, it was before it was chopped off) and has at least 15 -20 polyps, and there are 2 new stalks growing nearby. They all seem to expand real well and are pulsing nicely. I do worry about it getting large and then crashing. My tank is only a 37 and I'm afraid it would pollute it very quickly. Are there any signs I can watch for?

 

[sharkbait9]

As it gets big, big to the point that you are a little nervous or feel its starting to spread and take other areas over, cut it don’t be afraid to have at it and chop away you can sell/trade it. If you have rubble rock cut a small or large section/stalk and rubber band it to the rubble rock and then trade it. I had xenia for a long time and just got tired of fragging it. It got to the point that everyone I knew had a small piece that grew big and started taking over their tank. I now have a small frag of it again that’s on its way to become a monster in the tank again. Xenia is not aggressive per say but it will just grow on, over what ever is in the way. That why I keep a razor blade at the ready.
As to any clews as to it health if my clean up crew is picking it at it and eating it i would now its dead or dieing.
I have never had it die on me, even after I chopped it down as low as I could off the rock. I had to break the rock that had the xenia on it to get rid of the xenia problem.
Have fun with it and enjoy, they are great show coral. My frag that I have now pulsate more then my original xenia ever did. My friends and family are just stunned when they come over and they watch it for hours. I may eventually frag off a piece and put in my living room display tank since it is very active.