xenia?

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jasondean

Guest
I've read that you should trim your xenia to keep them healthy. Is this true and why? I have some nice peices and I don't want to lose them because of something I should have done.
 

mr.125

Member
Originally Posted by jasondean
I've read that you should trim your xenia to keep them healthy. Is this true and why? I have some nice peices and I don't want to lose them because of something I should have done.

I think "trim" is the wrong word to use...I would say that when the xenia get out of control then it is cultivated for trade-in. Its not something that should be performed regularly.
IME xenia do not react well to cutting internodes from the main stalk.
Any pics?
 
J

jasondean

Guest
so if I don't bother it they should grow and spread around by itself. This is the first coral in my tank and it adds alot of show in a fowlr. What other easy coral could I add with a Map Angel? No zoo's he likes those.
 

hurt

Active Member
o if I don't bother it they should grow and spread around by itself.
Yes and no. It will spread on its own. However I learned the hard way when trying to rid my tank of xenia to make sure you remove the whole stalk. If you just cut the stalk with scissors and don't take the entire base, the base will grow back, and the peice you cut will also anchor itself(if not taken out) and then you will then have twice as much xenia. Exactly what I did not want.
 
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jasondean

Guest
Ya for you thats bad for me that would be okay I don't have any coral and don't have much exp. w/coral.
 

hurt

Active Member
Yeah, originally when I started in this hobby I didn't know much about sps, lps, and softies. The Xenia were one of my first corals. But after I saw some sps tanks, I had to make the plunge. While my tank is mainly a sps dominated tank, there are a few softies and LPS. I have no problem with the xenia's unless they are directly touching and sps. In which case the Xenia get a quick slice. But if you want them to spread faster, I would cut them at the top of the stalk, transplant the top to a new location (little flow so they can attach), and then in no time you will have double. Good luck with your tank.
 
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jasondean

Guest
I would post a pic but I dont know how. I'll do some research
 
J

jasondean

Guest
does anyone know what this is? It has a hard branch like center.
 

mr.125

Member
Nice Xenia~!!

If you can keep that xenia then you should try some mushrooms or ric's. Bring some color to the tank as well as some texture!
That last pic looks like some sort of zoos all over the "branch" you speak of...Kinda hard to tell though...can u get a more focused shot?????
 

bronco300

Active Member
yea,just let it go and it will spread no doubt...however, if you want it to spread around even faster you can definitely propogate it...just cut it mid stalk, and place the cut-off on a piece of rubble rock with a net holding it down.
 

mudplayerx

Active Member
If you do let xenia grow too large, they will eventually die off. When you get a xenia to the point where it will not grow anymore, in my experience it has about 3-4 months before it will start dying off. You can start to see individual tentacles wither and become darker in color. This is a sure-fire sign of dieoff.
I just cut all of mine and trade them in for store credit every 2 months or so. It keeps them looking young and healthy, and I get store credit.

ps - the coral doesn't actually die, it falls apart in an attempt to colonize other locations. In an aquarium environment this can pollute the water and the pieces rarely adhere to live rock before being sucked into overflows, onto sponges, into impellors etc..
 

mr.125

Member
Originally Posted by mudplayerx
If you do let xenia grow too large, they will eventually die off. When you get a xenia to the point where it will not grow anymore, in my experience it has about 3-4 months before it will start dying off. You can start to see individual tentacles wither and become darker in color. This is a sure-fire sign of dieoff.
I just cut all of mine and trade them in for store credit every 2 months or so. It keeps them looking young and healthy, and I get store credit.

ps - the coral doesn't actually die, it falls apart in an attempt to colonize other locations. In an aquarium environment this can pollute the water and the pieces rarely adhere to live rock before being sucked into overflows, onto sponges, into impellors etc..

NICE~!!
Thanks for the input!
 
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