Removing Xenia from snail shell???

[MarinePaethor]

I picked up a 2 stalk piece of pulsing Xenia from a guy last week. It had attached itself to an empty snail/crab shell the guy had in his tank. All week I keep noticing that the Xenia seems to be moving around the tank, and I could not figure out why. Yesterday I finally saw the hermit crab I have in the tank on the shell that the Xenia is attached to. He had turned it over and was looking inside of it. I think he has decided that he wants the shell for himself since it is bigger that what he has now. This morning I found the Xenia way under my LR, and part of it had been torn off.

Is there anyway I can remove the Xenia from the shell without killing it? I would like to reattach it to a small piece of LR to save it. That way the crab can have the shell and I get to keep the Xenia alive. Or do I have to figure at this point the crab will keep picking until the Xenia is dead, and then just get myself another piece of Xenia?

Thanks for any info and advice you can offer.

[danielbui23]

Rubberband the Xenia to a big piece of live rock. The crab wont move and he will pull out. Later the xenia will move on to the live rock. Or take some scissors and snip at the lowest point of the stock then rubberband to a piece of Live rock.

[TVH]

When I want to move xenia I just pry it off the rock with my fingernail. Usually it pulls free without much trouble at all. To mount it in a different location I will put a couple of rocks around the base to keep it from moving or wedge it in a crevice. Within a couple of days it has reattached to the rock and all is well.

I do it this way because I have had trouble with the rubber band method.

[danielbui23]

When I want to move xenia I just pry it off the rock with my fingernail. Usually it pulls free without much trouble at all. To mount it in a different location I will put a couple of rocks around the base to keep it from moving or wedge it in a crevice. Within a couple of days it has reattached to the rock and all is well.

I do it this way because I have had trouble with the rubber band method.

Haha, I have problems with that method. My Xenia's always stick like super glue. My problem is I have a lot flow and the Xenia will float off like a balloon.

[Thisseemsfishy]

I like using a zip tie. A few clicks every couple days, and in about a week it will seperate from the crab.

[stevie-o]

just pick it off and tie it to a rock. once it gets adjusted to your tank it will grow like a weed i will happily give you some of mine :)