Xenia how hard is it to keep?

[HABS#1]

So I was given a small Xenia frag yesterday I was just wondering how hard it is to keep? When I brought it home and placed it all it's fan like appendages were blowing etc and now today they seem to be all shriveled and non existent. It's branches are all still flowing etc just the feather looking frills on teh branches seem to be gone.

[NirvanaFan]

my red sea xenia closes up for a day, then stays open for 3 or 4, then closes for awhile. It goes back and forth, but multiplies like no other coral I've ad. Make sure you contain it, and it doesn't get out of control.

[lakwriter]

Xenia has a tendency to multiply like crazy because they adapt easily to varying conditions. You may find yourself pulling it out like a bad weed down the road.

Also, did you acclimate it before placing it in the tank? If yes, how?

[dileggi]

I just added an Xenia on Friday and no problems so far. But, that's not much experience to go on.

Here's a cool site with some great info:

Coral Care (http://www.asira.org/caresheets)

[PoukieBear]

Xenia aren't that hard to keep.

Since yours is quite new, it doesn't surprise me that it's shrivled up. It will do that once in a while, expecially if it's disturbed.

You'll find that when you do a water change, it will shrivle up and can stay that way for a day or even a week.

No worries, it'll bounce back.

[stingythingy45]

My elongata has never shriveled.
And it doesn't grow like a bad weed.
It just grows at a normal pace.

[papagimp]

Xenia are extremely easy to keep, the only real issue you're bound to run into is the dreaded "xenia crash", which sometimes happens. The colony will be looking excellent one day, then they all seem to wither and die even with no apparent reasons or water quality issues popping up. Has happened to me a few times now but all times the colonies were not totally wiped out and made full recoveries within a month or so.

I've kept a few different species so far and when in their prime, they do grow like weeds. I had some of the elongata that stingythingy45 mentioned take over an entire 55g in about a month. It was really cool since I didn't have much else in their and it filled the tank up for me. Not to mention gave lots of frag for me to sell quickly. The elongata grew faster for me than the pink pom pom's I'm currently keeping.

[minispider]

is funny how you guys talk about keeping xenia and how easy is to maintain, well personally, I've bought 3 different types and acclimated them properly, and they all lasted about 2 days before they disintegrated and totally disappeared, my water is perfect and I mean I measure down to mag and Iodine to no avail, so is not as simple as it sounds! All my other corals thrive but not the stupid Xenia and I hate when I see these tanks with dirty sand beds and debris all over and they pulse like crazy, but not in mine tank :mad2:

[papagimp]

water being perfect isn't always the correct answer though. Some speceis fair better with nitrates in the water for example. And just because a specific parameter is within typical specifications doesn't entirely mean it's perfect for a specific species or not. fwiw, I have very poor skimming and poor mechanical filtration, lot's of particulate matter, ect. ect. and my xenia is one of the better looking colonies in any of my setups.

if it makes ya feel better, I've had alot of trouble recently keeping discoma mushrooms alive.....for whatever reason they don't seem to like my tank. Dying off even when sensitive sps are doing fine. Go figure.

[sk8boarder]

just wondering can xenias grow under PC's i have more or less 4 watts per gallon. 384 watts in a 90 gallon tank

[rbursek]

From a friends experience they like a little dirtier water.
Bob

[HABS#1]

Thanks guys good to know. Our frag is pink in colour and looks really cool it had come off his main display and was attaching itself to the gravel in his tank so he scooped it up and put it in a ziplock and sent it home with me. I placed it after an hour of acclimating it. It has now attached to the fiji I set it on.

[kremit2007]

sk8boarder...In my experience they can grow under PC. I have Dual daylight and dual actinic Ballast above my tank and the two species of Xenia I keep have both grown and I have fragged one. They one has been in the tank for about 4 months, the other only about 3 weeks or so. Hope it helps somewhat, but I think PC are fine.

[kremit2007]

I also wanted to add that I am always battling nitrates, which I have taken steps to control. So it may be true that Xenia like nitrate containing waters. Just a thought.

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11763120#post11763120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sk8boarder
just wondering can xenias grow under PC's i have more or less 4 watts per gallon. 384 watts in a 90 gallon tank

Just take placment into consideration and they should be okay. I've kept them under every type of lighting used on reef tanks,even under standard output flourescent tubes, which they didn't do as well but survived nonetheless. PC's did okay for my colony when they were in a smaller tank, I had the most difficult time under MH's (due most likely to my placment in the tank) and they are simply uncontrollable under my T5's. I've also kept them under a wide variety of flow, they do seem fairly adaptable that way, but for best pulsing, lower flow seems to do the trick better.

[HABS#1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11763398#post11763398 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
Just take placment into consideration and they should be okay. I've kept them under every type of lighting used on reef tanks,even under standard output flourescent tubes, which they didn't do as well but survived nonetheless. PC's did okay for my colony when they were in a smaller tank, I had the most difficult time under MH's (due most likely to my placment in the tank) and they are simply uncontrollable under my T5's. I've also kept them under a wide variety of flow, they do seem fairly adaptable that way, but for best pulsing, lower flow seems to do the trick better.

I have mine in a higher flow area they are near the inlet to the filter and just below a powerhead so that may be part of why they aren't pulsing.

[dileggi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11763120#post11763120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sk8boarder
just wondering can xenias grow under PC's i have more or less 4 watts per gallon. 384 watts in a 90 gallon tank

I'm presently keeping mine under PC's. I have 144w in a 29g. I've only had them for 3 days, but I'll keep you posted on how they do if interested.

[harsh12ka4]

i have pom pom xenia and i have no trouble but just make sure that the water flow is not too extreme. me and friend got xenia frag on the same day his was fine till 2 months (no or little growth )and my xenia was growing crazy in same amount of time. We thought it might be the flow as he placed his xenia near the top where the water flow was really turbulent.

[compulsivebasta]

I have found that they tend to not like flow directed right at them. But under PC lighting they are starting to grow like weeds in my tank

[Aquarist007]

where ever I place mine they will move up the reef on their own until they are 8 inches from the halides. I also have some that are determined to put themselves in direct line of a korilia 4
so go figure

[chef.lewis]

My xenia is spreading like mad. I have to pull it out like weeds.
Nitrate almost undetectable 0.02?
Nitrite 0
Clean water, but I feed alot and skim the hell out of it. I also have a very active fuge.
My xenia is under a 400 halide.
I wish I could sell this stuff because the cash would sure help on my next build!
If anybody wants some and can pick it up, it is free to a good home!

[carrera mike]

They are so easy to keep that you'll find yourself trying to minimize their growth and spreading too fast.

[walkerbrody]

My xenia is right under my 400w 20k's with alot of flow. It grows like crazy. I given it away, traded it, and tossed it, and still have too much.

[AquamanE]

dileggi- Wow Dude!!! that coral care web site is awesome. thanks for saring.

[demonsp]

These guys are to easy. But begginer coral.After time you will wish you didnt have. I got mine to attach to the back glass and its much easier to trim back. even with this they can still pop up anywhere.Remove any floaters.
And sorry didnt read repelys just giving you my experiance with them.

[AquaReeferMan]

Sometime in the near future you will we be posting a new thread saying "Xenia, why cant I get rid of this stuff"

[HABS#1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11766775#post11766775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaReeferMan
Sometime in the near future you will we be posting a new thread saying "Xenia, why cant I get rid of this stuff"

LOL well I know where I can send it if that happens. I have a guy at work that is now into saltwater and my BIL in Sarnia is getting my old 31 Gal in May so he will get some also if it gets out of hand. Today it is pulsing away and the little feather like frills are back again so I guess it was just situationg itself better. It moved and took up residence next to a clam that came on some Fiji rock I bought when I started my tank.

[HABS#1]

So exactly how quickly does XENIA grow. Mine seems to have 3 or 4 new apendages starting to form lower down on the stem. Is it normal to have it start new growth like this or not?

[dileggi]

I added mine not even a week ago, and I swear I noticed a new appendage already as well. I was thinking it was just my mind playing tricks on me! LOL!

[SuperNerd]

I always thought drops in dissolved nutrients played a role in tank crashes. I've had elongata and red sea colonies for at least 3 years. I don't think they like it when too much filter media is added at one time. Lugols Iodine also may help for elongata.

[HABS#1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11779049#post11779049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dileggi
I added mine not even a week ago, and I swear I noticed a new appendage already as well. I was thinking it was just my mind playing tricks on me! LOL!

Ya I guess they weren't kidding when they said it grows like mad thanksfully mine is very very small at this point.

[kgouso]

Around here Xenia is given away free.

I went from one frag two three separate Xenia in less than a month.

I removed one and put it in the fuge with the cheato.

In another month...I will probaly be giving it away as well.

[HABS#1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11781165#post11781165 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kgouso
Around here Xenia is given away free.

I went from one frag two three separate Xenia in less than a month.

I removed one and put it in the fuge with the cheato.

In another month...I will probaly be giving it away as well.

So I guess it really does grow that quickly. May can't get here soon enough then so I can atleast house it in my 75 as of now it is in our 31 I am also going to add some to the kids 10gal reef.