Pink Pulsating Xenia

Discussion in 'Coral Health' started by nc208082, Sep 28, 2010.

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  1. nc208082

    nc208082 Zoanthid

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    my pink pulsating xenia looks like its shrinking and dying. I recently moved it to a 10 gallon qt tank while new tank is cycling, old tank got a crack so i had to act fast. The qt tank has only a hang on filter and about 10 lbs of live rock. theres about 4 species of coral and a few fish for the time being, im using 2 t5 ho lights for the meantime and have a small powerhead in there too. the rest of the corals and fish are fine and the water parameters check out
    salinty 1.023
    Ph 8.1
    alk 5.5
    nitrite- 0.5-1
    nitrate 20-30
    ammonia is 0 for both, calcium is about 400.
    tank temp is 78.

    After doing some reading ive read its a hard to predict coral that can bounce back but its been shrinking over the past day so was wondering if anyone saw this as a problem.
     

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  3. Bloodkip

    Bloodkip Ritteri Anemone

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    Add prime. You have nitrite, so your not done cycling.
     
  4. blackraven1425

    blackraven1425 Giant Squid

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    I agree that you're not done cycling, but I don't think that's your issue TBH. What kind of lights do you have? Powerheads/pumps? Did you move the old sand over? Did you ever use copper in the QT?
     
  5. nc208082

    nc208082 Zoanthid

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    im curious the tank before was done cycling, even though i used everything from big tank, the transfer to the smaller tank would have meant it had to recycle?

    the power head is just a korallia 1 series something small its a tiny tank, the filter is a marineland 4800 or something like that. lights are 10,000 k and an actinik and a 420/460 split, each 24 watts

    the tank i put the corals into is not the new tank thats cycling but a quick qt tank i was able to throw together quickly. water filter powerheads and rock are from that tank, i since got a new tank set up and it is cycling so cannot use it for the meantime.

    i added the prime, thanks for your advice
     
  6. libog2fish

    libog2fish Fire Shrimp

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    does pulsing need flow???
    I recently put mine in my 25 gallon with no pumps just a few outlets from the return...
    I did this becuase I wanted to see the xenia pulse(open/close) when they were in my 83 gallon reef they were getting flow everywhere i postioned it and it defeated the pulsing purpose...
    now the xenia pulses but does not look to healthy...
    I'm think it's 2 things...
    the flow is no longer there...so I guess they want more oxygen...
    2nd is the lighting i had in my 83 waz a 250 watt halide...and now i'm running a dual strip T5 1 actinic and 1 10,000k...
     
  7. Magnus

    Magnus Sharknado

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    My xenias are in a medium flow area dn they do pulsate. Without flow, they'll pulsate quicker I think, but they still pulsate with flow. Nitrates being high is a good cause for them to stop doing what they do.
     
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  9. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Xenia really does not need intense lighting, so I do not think that is the problem.

    While nitrates of 20-30 should be addressed, xenia IME is just not that picky regarding elevated nitrates, if anything kinda of likes it.

    It is a very picky corals, and probably just does not like the new system for what ever reason. With xenia the same rules do not apply as with other corals. You can have a perfect system and xenia will shrink and melt away. Or you can have a train wreck of a system and it will florish.

    With that said you should bring the Sg up to at least 1.025 and if the pH is dropping below 7.8 prior to the lights coming on ( before the photo period) than try to bring that up a little as well, IME xenia preferres pH at the high end of the normal range.
     
  10. Jaym32

    Jaym32 Plankton

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    1. Xenia will move around your system on the live rock to find the desired flow. They prefer a light flow rate.

    2. They must have Iodine supplementation, I use Lugol's iodine from BrightWell Aquatics.
    Just a little bit goes a long way, like 3 to 5 drops twice per week for a 30 gallon tank.

    I have kept xenia for over 2 years now.
     
  11. MoJoe

    MoJoe Dragon Wrasse

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    I have a gigantic colony of pom pom xenia that pulses and reproduces like crazy. I have never dosed with iodine, so you don't "have" to supplement with it. Iodine is one of those things that many are divided on. My take is to not dose what you cannot test for. I've seen tanks fouled from too much iodine supplementing (blind dosing).

    I'm a believer that Iodine levels in a tank are best maintained through routine water changes. IMO I feel Lugols is best used as a dip but not a doser. If one must use it, just have a kit to test the levels of it.

    Everyone's system is different. My pom pom's have thrived with stable CA/ALK/MG params, light flow, and 5x54w of T5 lighting.

    +1 with what Corailine said, xenia is tempermental, thrives in some tanks, while others can't keep it alive.
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2010