Somethings eating my Xenia

[jim672]

I bought pulsing xenia about a month ago. It was adapting well and looked healthy and happy. It actually looked as if it was growing. Two days ago, I went home and found about 1/3 of the branches "nipped" off right below where the "head" was. Last night it looked like more were gone.
The only fish I have right now are a maroon clown and a tri-color damsel. Both fish have been there for more than 6 months. I have red-and blue-legged hermits but none of them are very big. I also have two sand-sifter stars. None of my other corals are being bothered----hammer, octo-bubble, colt, mushrooms,and cabbage are all fine.
What's eating my Xenia?
Jim

 

[bang guy]

I've heard of Yellow Tangs nipping Xenia but never Damsles or any type of Clown. Is it possible you have a hitchhiker? Have you looked at night?

 

[jake22]

Have you noticed any small starfish in your tank. I read somewhere that there are these small starfishes that hitchhike on the rock that will eat corals. I have alot of them in my tank but luckily i have a FO set up.

 

[jim672]

Thanks for the thoughts. The only new things I've bought in the last 6 months were the xenia and a bunch of caulpera. I guess something could have come in inside the bunch of caulpera but I haven't seen anything. I have looked at the tank right after the lights go out but I guess I'll have to make an effort to take a good look.....well after the lights have gone out.
Other than a small xenia-eating starfish......anyone else have any ideas what I could look for.....and how to catch it?
Jim

 

[bang guy]

If you figure it out and catch the culprit can I have first dibs on purchasing it from you? It would save me a lot of time every week if I had something to cull my Xenia for me.

 

[jim672]

LMAO BangGuy!! You and I certainly have opposite concerns, don't we??
Jim

 

[herkemer]

We had a blue fin damsel that thought our Xenia was a delicacy. He ate a good portion of one before we caught him in the act. At that point he had to go and now our Xenia is happily hosting a Green Clown Goby. He likes to sit in the Xenia and sway to and fro, and the Xenia doesn't mind it at all.

 

[polka]

I would like to throw my opinion into the ring.......I would bet money on your damsel being the culprit! I had a yellow damsel that ate my xenia in a matter of days. Thus to say I no longer have the damsel. My xenia, belive it or not, grew back and is beautiful. I suggest using a trap to get the damsel out. My damsel would go after the xenia mostly at night and for some strange reason within the first few minutes of the daytime lights coming on.
Good Luck!!

 

[wingnut]

eeek small starfish that eat your coral i have like 10 billion of these little small star fish in my tank there about the size of a dime or smaller there gray with a red center are these the ones your refering to if so plz tell me!!!!

 

[kelly]

Jim672,
I had a brittle star wipe mine out. I would see an arm wrap around it and pull it apart.

 

[jim672]

Thanks for the responses.
Kelly,
I don't have a brittle star so that can't be it.
Herkemer and Polka,
Thanks guys. I think I'm putting my money on the damsel. Last night I saw him nip at the xenia as he swam by. Thinking it through, it's unlikely it's happening at night....the xenia closes up as soon as the MH shuts off for the night so it would be really difficult for anything to eat the tops off the xenia with it closed.
Now all I have to do is find a way to trap the dam-damsel
Bang Guy,
I'll sell him cheap! Interested??
Jim

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by jim672
Bang Guy,
I'll sell him cheap! Interested??
Jim
Pondering......

 

[luvmyundulatus]

I wish something were eating my Xenia.The stuff grows like a weed in my tank

 

[jonthefb]

same here LUVmy... teh stuff spreads like weeds, and to have a natural predator would be great. my purple tang chowed a colony of anthelias (close relatives of xenias) but he wont touch the damn xenias for some reason!
good luck
jon

 

[maury]

My coral beauty in my 210 keeps the Xenia there well trimmed. But the one in my 55 doesn't touch the stuff, and there's some serious deforestation every 4 months or so in that tank.

 

[jonthefb]

i harvest mine so often that i cant get credit from my lfs because they already have so many damn frags of the stuff, and no one is buying it up that fast. Its sad to have to just throw it away, but this is what im left to do!
bummer huh!
jon

 

[jim672]

jonthefb,
I've got a deal for you........I'll send you my damsel and you cross-ship some xenia frags!!!!
And I'm almost serious here
Jim