Xenia

iechy

iechy

Member
What are good conditions, including lighting, for keeping Xenia successfully? I'd really like to get some but can't find any good info on whether my tank can support it.
55 reef
220W VHO 1actinic 1 10000k
all water parameters are normal except calcium which is a tad high at almost 500.
 
nm reef

nm reef

Active Member
Mine like moderate to high light and a decent current....they seem to do well in a mature stable system...and can actually be a good indicator of changes in levels. They seem to be fairly hardy and with decent light should do well.....I'd think in your system they'd prefer to be higher up in the rock work....I'd go for it and see how they respond. I do know people keep them in ess light than you currently have and they do well.
 
iechy

iechy

Member
Thanks NM. I'm going to try them out up at the top of my rockwork and hope they work out. My LFS has some small ones for 15 bucks so it's worth a try. I really think they'd add alot to my tank.
 
jonthefb

jonthefb

Active Member
i have about three colonies in my 20 that came from my 135. Having no problem, except for the fact that they are pusling retarded. you might have seen my other post. i think, and with th ehelp of javajoe, that the reason they are pulsing like this is cause they went from MH lighting in my 135 to PC lighting in my 20. I have some decent lights in my 20, but they just arent as intense as the top of the tank ext to a MH. It makes ense as some of these guys in indonesia, colonize reef flats, that are exposed to the elements at low tide:D ;)
good luck, just compare lighting in your dealers tank to that in your own and make adjustments!
jon
 
herkemer

herkemer

Member
Xenia's are strange creatures. Our Xenia colony started from a small frag and was the first coral in our tank. We have a 75 gallon with 220watts of cf lights. When we first got the Xenia we had it near the bottom of the tank and it did ok. Once it divided we moved it up higher and it has divided multiple times so I think they do like a fair amount of light. Ours also does best with alot of current. They like the water temp best at around 78 degrees. The reason I call them strange is because on one rock where two have split and both were looking great but now one looks to be dying and the other is thriving. It just started looking sick yesterday and almost dead this morning. All of our water parameters are very good so I don't think it's that, and we don't have any fish that like to chew on them. Any ideas?
 
tjkohler

tjkohler

Member
In my 10 gallon I put in a Xenia the day after all my parameters where at zero (not the smartest thing to do). It didn't do well with high current at about an 8 inch depth so I moved it. The next spot was medium to high current and about 4-5 inches from the top of the water. It has thrived and it's been a month and I think it's started to split. It was a small $8 frag that has at least doubled and close to tripled in that month.
 
frankl15207

frankl15207

Member
Mine did nothing low. When they got high in moderate current, they responded immediately and are growing like weeds.
 
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