xenia

[IBMGeek]

Maybe thats why my xenia doesnt grow so much. My tank is usually 78-80F. It has spread to surroundind rocks,and its still pulsing, but not growing fast.

[coral reefer]

Originally Posted by totter0817

I wish my xenia would grow like that, mine just keeps shrinking and no pulsing

Not all Xenia pulsates, also if you took a farg of my Xenia that pulsates in my tank doesn't guarantee it will pulse in yours!
A good water flow, intense light, iodine supplement and higher level of nutrients in your water(phosphates and nitrates) will help to ensure the health and vigor of Xenia!

[ziggy222]

my tank has 0 nitrates ,ammonia,nitrites and is 78 degrees.it hit 88 degrees for as long as 3 days last summer with no problems.i've grown it between mushrooms to give them shade when they had too much light with no problem.what does hurt mine is sudden change of any of the water perimeters such as ph,however the only one i ever killed was some that i put in my sump cause the chaetto blocked all the light,oh and my nephew turned a xenia rock over and smashed it into the sand once and all12 stalks died.i also gave 10 stalks to my lfs and they just tossed them in the tank within acclimating them and they were gone by the next day.xenia can stop pulsing for no reason at all and start back up at any time.mine has never stopped pulsing,even when it closes for the night the closed polyps still try to pulse like a beeting heart.the xenia is 1st to shrink if something changes but also 1st to recover if it makes it.i'd like to give some to someone neer me that can't keep them to see if mine make it.

[mikemangue]

Use a fine wooden toothpick, not the solid hard type, one of those that can bend without breaking and push it through the base of the coral then use the rubber band to hold the toothpick to the rock. When it attaches, all you have to do is remove the rubber band and slide the toothpick out of the base of the coral. :-) it works! (Do not place the toothpick too far up the stalk and don't let the rubber band hold too tight so as to tear the stalk with the toothpick.)

Originally Posted by ziggy222

sorry,the glue will not work.soon as you take it out of the water it will look like a pile of slime.just pin it between 2 rocks in low flow or lay it on some pebbles.in 2 days it will attach.or just put a rock against its base where its at then in a couple days it will be attached to both and you can cut it from the one you don't want it on.then you will have to scrape whats left off or it'll just come right back.it does'nt need a mouth to grow.it will grow from any peace of its body left behind.

[aquaboy]

Ziggy, i already got my own pulses greatly and is a nice reddish tan color with silver tentacles

[Reef Ghost]

I have the silver branch pulsing type and my tank runs at 78-80 on the norm but hit high 80's several times during last summer. This stuff groes like there is miracle grow in my tanks. I actually started a 55gal tank just for xenia which I sell to the LFS. This stuff loves a LOT of flow and salinity at 1.0255. I dont care how high the flow is, they will grow towards it, its insane. As far as propogating it, I have peeled it off smooth surfaces, cut it, I have glued it, put bridal vail over it, leaned against things etc. it all works but leaning against things works best for me. When you propogate it it may take a couple weeks to recover sometimes. Has a VERY strong smell to it, not a good one either!

[aquaboy]

i know, its a very wierd smell at that......

[gazog]

No its not weird it down right NASTY! but I have the same in my tanks, it grows like crazy.
I have also found out (thank you tanked) that if you cut it at the base with a razor blade as it moves it leaves a trail of little copies of itself as it moves.

[Tight Lipped]

So what keeps the xenia in check in a tank with other corals or will it get out of hand?

[amcarrig]

Under the right conditions, it will get out of hand.