Xenia Friendly??

[LanginJoe]

Does anybody know what I could put next to some Xenia that would, “get along”? I was thinking a different type of Xenia, but maybe someone with more experience could give me a few more ideas. Thanks a lot.
Joe.

[MIKE NY]

The problem with adding other species of xenia together is the more dominent species would over run the weaker. So any coral with any type of defense should fine next to xenia. The reason I say defense is because xenia under the right conditons grows so fast it will suround and choke out that coral from light and flow...so it would need a defense to keep the xenia in check. IMO like most spreading softy type corals like shrooms,zoo etc...is to keep them isolated on their own rocks away from the mainroock work so there wouldn't be that problem and it would be easier to prune them...HTH

[bobt2]

sorry to butt in, but if you want xenia, i'll give you some, i'm in western suffolk

[LanginJoe]

Thanks for the input Mike, I guess I should move them before I get my SPS's in.
What type of Xenia do you have Bob?

[bobt2]

good question, i think it starts with an e. i got a piece from someone else on r/c

[LanginJoe]

If it's Xenia Elongata then thats what I have, I would post a picture if I could figure out how. Here is a url to a picture I googled http://www.fishpalace.org/X_elongata.html
This is what I have in the tank now.

[bobt2]

thats the one! i,ve had it 2 months and already its taking over

[LanginJoe]

Yeah, mine is growing pretty good too, I usually sell frags to my LFS. I only get like 10$-15$ of my purchase (there's always something to buy) per frag, but it all adds up.
Thanks anyway though.
Joe.

[vyger]

Yea...you have to careful with that type of Xenia....it grew so well in my tank taking over rocks that now the Xenia has it's own 10 gal tank to proliferate in..

[LanginJoe]

Nice, I've heard that they are very good at nutrient exportation, and was planning on partitioning off a section of my refugium just for them to grow. Actually an article in Marine Fish & Reef has a Caulerpa vs. Xenia chart kind of like this:
Caulerpa Xenia
Nitrate+Nitrite 107.0 .6
Ammonia Nitrogen 113.7 585.0
Total Nitrogen 1016.7 8600.0

That is the amounts of nitrogenous wastes removed per kilogram of export material. I figure having a good stock of both should be really beneficial to the tank. My refugium is 30gal, I'll probably partition a quarter of that just for the Xenia. Put some rubble on the bottom and just let it go crazy.

[vyger]

I have read articles on their ability to suck up nutrients and
I have also read that they are a good first alert to something wrong in the tank and will react negatively before the other corals. Matter of fact I noticed my Xenia were much darker than usual in my 18 gal reef just about a week before a total meltdown of the tank for some reason that I still can't figure out. When I saw the color turning on the Xenia , I started doing water changes right away but to no avail ,the tank still crashed.

[MIKE NY]

they are very good at nutrient exportation
I'm using Red Sea xenia along with chaeto in my fuge. The xenia are a good water quality indicator....when they aren't doing well I know my water is getting cleaner...:)

[vyger]

Actually Xenia come from very clean shallow waters from what I've read about them. So it's interesting that would be able to tolerate nutrients in the water column.. the statement below is from one of the articles and is where I got the notion of water quality and the Xenia's reaction to it.

"Xenia can be a health indicator for your aquarium since it will appear stressed when water quality is poor."

[FindingSalt]

Anyone have some Xenia for sale? What are the lighting requirements?

[Neurotech]

Yeah, if anyone wants to get rid of some, just give me a holler. Pets warehouse has tiny frags for 30 and large for 40. Plenty of them. I never had any, so as an alternative to flushing them, just give me a pm! :)

[Reef Junkie]

Careful what you wish for.
Xenia can be such a nusience that you may regret ever putting it in your tank.
Especially if you're going to be adding SPS.
Short term, they're no problem. Long term, they'll overshadow and kill most corals, even ones that can kill them.

[FindingSalt]

Yea ive read that i figured i would put it in my fish only to help with nitrates.

[ralphie]

I too am interested in a small frag of some Xenia if anyone is looking to get rid of some.... :rollface:

Ralph

[bobt2]

i'm in copiague, if you want to mount it, it's free! i'll just cut off some pieces

[MIKE NY]

< --- always brings some to the meetings and listen to Bill's advise.......been there! and now it's all down in my fuge, but it can be kept succesfully long term on their own little islands of rock.

[vyger]

You all seem like a great bunch of people and I have been a long time lurker on this forum, wanting to join LIRA but have not due to work and other commitments in my life. I saw no point because I wouldn't be able to attend meetings. Since I have just lost my job in the computer field due to a takeover and the infamous term "downsizing" I now find myself with plenty of time so I am putting in for membership in this wonderful club. It will renew my intrest since I almost gave up the hobby after my tank crashed some months ago. Although I lost alot of corals which I've had over 10yrs , I was able to save some which I housed in two 10 gal tanks, not wanting to give up after 18yrs of reefkeeping. Must be in the blood or something..LOL.
It will also give me something to look forward to other that looking for employment , not that the latter is something anyone looks forward to..

Anyway.... I know East Quogue is a haul for most people here but I have quite a bit of Xenia (35 to 40 stalks) housed in a 10 gal tank , looks like Xenia Elongata, to me and will be glad to frag some to plugs and donate them at the next meeting for anyone who is interested. I also have some on small pieces of rock. I would just need to know how many stalks to bring so I can frag enough. I will remind everyone before the meeting..........

I will be going to NERAC II on Saturday and it's too bad I couldn't just bring them there but Xenia don't do well in a bag for too long , I think due to the slime build up or something like that...

Well I hope to meet most of you at the NERAC II..... and please don't mind the long rambling post....2 much time on my hands

William

[Antman]

I also would like to try to keep sevral types of xenia I now have the Red Sea Xenia on the white side but I am looking for PINK or even blue if by chance anyone has any

[XeniaMania]

Differently lighting, water conditions, and water movements will yield different results with your xenias. For example, "dirtier" water will yield darker colored xenias. Low flow, will yield faster pulsing xenias as ones in high flow areas will almost stop pulsing. Lower light produces stringier ones, while high light will make them more feathery. Just some general guidelines.

[ralphie]

William,

I would definitely be interested in some Xenia frags. I am in Ronkonkoma, where are in East Quogue?

Hopefully should see you Saturday!

Thanks...

Ralph:)

[vyger]

Ralphie,

Yup.... I will be there Saturday..I sent the paypal for the ticket last week but haven't received it yet....hopefully it'll be here soon!!!
I have about 7 frags on plugs that have grown in and a couple of frags on small pieces of live rock all of which are up for grabs...
I am about 5 min from Sunrise on Old Coutry Rd in East Quogue...