another pulsing xenia problem :/

suspectcobra

suspectcobra

Member
alrighty so as you can see the white splotch on the upper part of the frag disc is the xenia itself, it has gone from what you see here to semi open and pulsing over the past month or so, all of my parameters are near perfect, its a 55g with 2x 250w mh lighting, not sure what else to say, if you have any ideas feel free to chime in, i would greatly appreciate it :]
 
jerryatrick

jerryatrick

Active Member
I don't think anyone has written a book on Xenia because they can't. Without getting into "xenia thrives in dirty water" and "I can keep everything but xenia". Have you ever successfully kept Xenia in this tank?
 
suspectcobra

suspectcobra

Member
the frag was doing very well for several months before this, it was growing and always pulsing, and nothing was really added to the tank to make this happen.
 
jerryatrick

jerryatrick

Active Member
Originally Posted by suspectcobra
http:///forum/post/2718843
the frag was doing very well for several months before this, it was growing and always pulsing, and nothing was really added to the tank to make this happen.
Sorry but I have to get CLICHÉ on you. Xenia can die as fast as it grows. I would like to see a thread where everyone on here who has fast growing Xenia posts their water parameters. You can either keep it and it thrives or you can't keep it at all.
 
suspectcobra

suspectcobra

Member
well i suppose thats the nature of the beast when it comes to keeping a reef tank :p, a simple game of trial, error and luck
 
alexknight

alexknight

Member
I had the same thing happen to me, a couple days before my Xenia started dieing I upgraded my skimmer, I Think that the water was just to clean for it, or I know I missed a dose of DT's that week so it was aether one of them I think but now its starting to grow back and looking healthy its pretty hard to kill off.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
I have read all of the post too, and I know the good ole' cliche that it only grows in 'dirty' water. Well, my params are dead on and I have it thriving. I started out with one head, now there must be 30. I can't answer the what's and why's, but I don't buy into the 'dirty water' common excuse. My lfs can't keep it either, and I can guarantee you that their water is dirty.
For starters, don't put in direct flow. Start it off to the side, with some slight water flow. Next, don't directly feed it, but when you do feed the tank, don't turn off the ph's, so that some food floats it's way before all the fish get it. Next, put it mid-tank (light wise). They seem to spread upward as if they are reaching for more light. But don't start it out near the top, or your starter piece may get fried and never spred. Finally, bump plenty of extra rocks up against it. As soon as you see a new piece move to the new rock, move it to a totally new spot.
 
alix2.0

alix2.0

Active Member
one chunk of my xenia just up & melted a few days ago. it had done well in my tank for almost 2 years, and it was even pulsing earlier in the day it melted! its a weird coral.
 
alexknight

alexknight

Member
I am pretty sure it is a hit or miss with Xenia, after having my new skimmer running for two weeks and just testing my water is spot on. It is now doing fine and growing great. I am sure something may have caused it to die off. So you may want to go back and recheck everything.
I find it very interesting that this form in for helping people out with problems they may have, and when someone puts their.02 in. to try to help someone and another person disagrees with them how plain rude people can be.
 
A

alexmir

Guest
you may have had too much light, 500 watss of MH on a 55 gallon is alot. Who knows, i have been looking for a really pretty white xenia, it is the only kind i might add to my tank. I have seen it spread too quick through peoples tank.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by Alexknight
http:///forum/post/2719052
I find it very interesting that this form in for helping people out with problems they may have, and when someone puts their.02 in. to try to help someone and another person disagrees with them how plain rude people can be.

Reading all of the quotes, I assume you are talking about me. Maybe you are a sensitive person, but there was nothing 'rude' about the comment. This forum is for facts and opinions. Not everyone will always agree with you in life.
As far as the xenia issue, I agree that it is a hit and miss coral that hobbyist just have not figured out yet, as many of the best have trouble keeping it. But to generically agree that it is a dirty water thriving coral is a misconception IMO. There has to be more to it than that, so maybe better to say, we don't know why it is or what causes this variance from one hobbyist to another.
My apologies for offending you Alex
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
xenia is a weird coral. i had mine that died off after a few months after getting it. now i wish it never came back, bc its taking over my tank.
 
suspectcobra

suspectcobra

Member
Originally Posted by alexmir
http:///forum/post/2719062
you may have had too much light, 500 watss of MH on a 55 gallon is alot. Who knows, i have been looking for a really pretty white xenia, it is the only kind i might add to my tank. I have seen it spread too quick through peoples tank.
yea i know that 500w is quite a bit for my little 55, but considering the price for 150s or 175s wasnt really much difference from the 250s i bought...i figured the options for future upgrades would be more vast when not having to take lighting into account considering what i bought lol and plus...they look oh so pretty in my tank, i am looking at them right now :p
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
I've heard of large colonies that have thrived for years in the same tank dying off in a matter of weeks. Clean water, "dirty" (minimal maintenance) water doesn't seem to matter. I admit that I'm a tad sub-par in the husbandry department at times and mine is growing out of control.
I agree with moving it to a lower light, lower flow area to see if it will recover. A lefty knocked one of my xenia colonies over and it lay face down in the sand for an entire day. I flipped it over and it is now my best looking chunk.
 
cowfishrule

cowfishrule

Active Member
i have to agree with the above. its a finicky coral that nobodys figured out yet.
i bought about a year ago a lil stem that was on a snail shell. this thing turned into a large bush then melted away (all in a matter of 6 months.)
xenia, in my book, is a disposable coral. either it grows and you enjoy, or it dies and you move on.
seriously. i wouldnt worry about it.
 
ibew41

ibew41

Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2719021
I have read all of the post too, and I know the good ole' cliche that it only grows in 'dirty' water. Well, my params are dead on and I have it thriving. I started out with one head, now there must be 30. I can't answer the what's and why's, but I don't buy into the 'dirty water' common excuse. My lfs can't keep it either, and I can guarantee you that their water is dirty.
For starters, don't put in direct flow. Start it off to the side, with some slight water flow. Next, don't directly feed it, but when you do feed the tank, don't turn off the ph's, so that some food floats it's way before all the fish get it. Next, put it mid-tank (light wise). They seem to spread upward as if they are reaching for more light. But don't start it out near the top, or your starter piece may get fried and never spred. Finally, bump plenty of extra rocks up against it. As soon as you see a new piece move to the new rock, move it to a totally new spot.
do you have any lps in your tank?
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
What is the temp in your tank? What type of xenia is it? For example blue and silver branch will not succeed in a tank that is warmer than 82 degrees. I've tested it and a coral farmer has also confirmed this (he told me about it first when I mentioned that mine melted).
 
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