What does it mean when Xenia's pulse?

[n_sarno]

What does it mean or what does it look like? I keep seeing people talking about it but dont know what they mean. I am going to be getting Xenia soon.

 

[bonebrake]

They open and close their "eight-fingered hands" sporadically; about once every second. I would assume it is some mechanism designed to filter particulate matter out of the water, but I do not know for sure. They are a very eye-catching addition to your system.
:joy:

 

[bang guy]

Nobody knows why they pulse. Everyone agrees they do it for a reason though.

 

[firedog]

I have read also that no one knows. But it seems to be commonly accepted that they are not feeding. Also they may stop at any time for no reason. They may never start back up either. Not all xenia pulse. And if they stop it is not necessarily anything bad.
In addition I was reading that xenia may crash for no reason. This is common. I believe I read that it happens seasonally in the wild, but in a tank it may only happen every few years. They should come back once the crash is finished.

 

[shnabbles]

I had pumping xenia that seemingly crashed.. looked like absolute crap... a puddle on a rock basically... it now opens looks great and pumps like a 4 year olds hand asking for candy..
I think pumpin xenia just means they are happy. lol

 

[xrayman]

I bought a frag of pulsing xenia about 2 weeks ago looked at them the other night and they were pulsing like crazy they are so cool to watch

 

[reefreak29]

i believe xenia absorb nutrients thruogh there body and expell them through pulsing

 

[jonnywater]

I would assume it has something to do with keeping them suspended - because they can absorb most of their food. If you notice how narrow the stalks and "fingers" are, if they did not umbrella out, I would believe that they would sink.

 

[trainfever]

In one of my books, it says that Xenia pumps to move the water around to help feed.

 

[bang guy]

All of those may be true but please explain why they can thrive just as well even after they stop pulsing.

 

[coachklm]

Originally Posted by Shnabbles
I had pumping xenia that seemingly crashed.. looked like absolute crap... a puddle on a rock basically... it now opens looks great and pumps like a 4 year olds hand asking for candy..
I think pumpin xenia just means they are happy. lol

:hilarious :hilarious

:jumping:
thats the second person this month..... lol

 

[rhomer]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
All of those may be true but please explain why they can thrive just as well even after they stop pulsing.
Could be current. Just a guess but if current changes it might change the need for a xenia to pulse. If food is blowing through their "fingers" without the need to exert energy to catch it then it might stop pulsing.
Rob

 

[mr.125]

What about a defence mechinism? Maybe the fish see this thing spasming randomly and doesnt find it as attractive to eat as other corals...
I also noticed that a majority of them form a circle when the pulse...so maybe they suspend the water infront of the mouth cavity before they inhale??? :notsure: :notsure: