pulsing xenia - Aquarium Advice

m3drver · 04-23-2008, 07:36 PM

Hey all, have a question on the best location for a pulsing xenia frag. A friend has given me a small frag and from what I've read on AA and Fantasyreef this coral grows and spreads quickly.

I was thinking on placing it on a small rock located near the corner of the tank separate from the rest of the LR. my thinking here is that I don't want it to spread to the larger rocks in the center of the tank since they're all toching. Does this sound like a good place for the frag? or Does the xenia have a tendency to move about the tank on its own?

I have T5 HO lights on a 46 Gal Bow tank so I think anywhere in the tank it should be fine with light. I just don't want it to completely overrun the larger rocks. and the fact that i have some small Zoo polyps that came as hitchhikers on one of those larger rocks.

I'd appreciate any suggestions!

**lando** · 04-23-2008, 08:32 PM

Xenia is still very much a mystery coral. IT will thrive in some tanks and simply disolve in others, regardless of parameters. If it finds your tank to its liking, it will spread very fast. It generally prefers to "climb" and will crawl up the tank glass or LR. You may need to test out a few locations in your tank to see were the animal is happy. If you are not seeing good expansion after a couple of days try a different location.

**melosu58** · 04-23-2008, 08:52 PM

I dont see why it wont do good in the corner. As Brian said try it and see. Lighting, Flow and area will be big factors in whether it likes where you put it.

m3drver · 04-24-2008, 12:03 AM

Great, thanks guys! I went ahead and placed the frag in the corner on a small rock. It seems ok there at the moment. It opened up a bit and its still pulsing too.

My two clownfish and a cleaner shrimp wanted to see what the new addition was, and caused it to close up a bit but it opened up again and continued to pulse. Funny watching the clowns check it out and poke at it a couple of times...

Anyway my plan is to have the frag spread onto the small rock then move it to the back of the tank where i hope it will be happy and attach itself to the back glass. I kinda figure it should be easier to prune / trim it off the glass than the rocks, but of course I say this now. we'll see in a few weeks.

usmcmarc · 04-24-2008, 09:39 AM

IME If the rock it is on is within an inch or two of anything (another rock, glass, etc..) it will stretch out and connect itself to it and then split off and grow. I have to scrape it off the glass with a credit card. It will propagate profusely. Just so you are aware.

m3drver · 04-24-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usmcmarc

IME If the rock it is on is within an inch or two of anything (another rock, glass, etc..) it will stretch out and connect itself to it and then split off and grow. I have to scrape it off the glass with a credit card. It will propagate profusely. Just so you are aware.

Yeah I realized that. The rock its on is isolated from anything right now. How hard is it to scrape off the glass?

**Ziggy953** · 04-24-2008, 11:24 AM

It's not very hard to get off the glass but when it gets onto your other rockwork it is a bit more of a challenge. I have mine in my frag tank and fuge. I got one small stalk and put it in my tank in less then a month I had 5-6times what I started out with. It is a very interesting coral but if you can contain it do so.

m3drver · 04-24-2008, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ziggy953

It's not very hard to get off the glass but when it gets onto your other rockwork it is a bit more of a challenge. I have mine in my frag tank and fuge. I got one small stalk and put it in my tank in less then a month I had 5-6times what I started out with. It is a very interesting coral but if you can contain it do so.

so at least i was thinking in the right direction as far as trying to have it spread onto the glass.

Thanks for the input Ziggy

**Ziggy953** · 04-25-2008, 08:47 AM

Anytime!

MsBeanCtr · 04-25-2008, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lando

Xenia is still very much a mystery coral. IT will thrive in some tanks and simply disolve in others, regardless of parameters. If it finds your tank to its liking, it will spread very fast. It generally prefers to "climb" and will crawl up the tank glass or LR. You may need to test out a few locations in your tank to see were the animal is happy. If you are not seeing good expansion after a couple of days try a different location.

ACK! That's no lie! I've tried two times to get a pulsing xenia to grow in my tank and zippo!

Fine! I didn't want any xenia anyway!

04-23-2008, 07:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
m3drver Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Middletown, NJ Posts: 65 Images: 10	pulsing xenia Hey all, have a question on the best location for a pulsing xenia frag. A friend has given me a small frag and from what I've read on AA and Fantasyreef this coral grows and spreads quickly. I was thinking on placing it on a small rock located near the corner of the tank separate from the rest of the LR. my thinking here is that I don't want it to spread to the larger rocks in the center of the tank since they're all toching. Does this sound like a good place for the frag? or Does the xenia have a tendency to move about the tank on its own? I have T5 HO lights on a 46 Gal Bow tank so I think anywhere in the tank it should be fine with light. I just don't want it to completely overrun the larger rocks. and the fact that i have some small Zoo polyps that came as hitchhikers on one of those larger rocks. I'd appreciate any suggestions! __________________ Mike

04-23-2008, 08:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
lando Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Savage, MN Posts: 7,581 Images: 46	Xenia is still very much a mystery coral. IT will thrive in some tanks and simply disolve in others, regardless of parameters. If it finds your tank to its liking, it will spread very fast. It generally prefers to "climb" and will crawl up the tank glass or LR. You may need to test out a few locations in your tank to see were the animal is happy. If you are not seeing good expansion after a couple of days try a different location. __________________ Some people are like slinkies...they serve no real purpose yet can still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs! Have a great day! Brian

04-23-2008, 08:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
melosu58 SW 10 yrs and over Community Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Richmond Va Posts: 10,795 Images: 70	I dont see why it wont do good in the corner. As Brian said try it and see. Lighting, Flow and area will be big factors in whether it likes where you put it. __________________ View My Tanks Click here to Visit FantasyReef

04-24-2008, 12:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
m3drver Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Middletown, NJ Posts: 65 Images: 10	Great, thanks guys! I went ahead and placed the frag in the corner on a small rock. It seems ok there at the moment. It opened up a bit and its still pulsing too. My two clownfish and a cleaner shrimp wanted to see what the new addition was, and caused it to close up a bit but it opened up again and continued to pulse. Funny watching the clowns check it out and poke at it a couple of times... Anyway my plan is to have the frag spread onto the small rock then move it to the back of the tank where i hope it will be happy and attach itself to the back glass. I kinda figure it should be easier to prune / trim it off the glass than the rocks, but of course I say this now. we'll see in a few weeks. __________________ Mike

04-24-2008, 11:24 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 2,499 Images: 5	It's not very hard to get off the glass but when it gets onto your other rockwork it is a bit more of a challenge. I have mine in my frag tank and fuge. I got one small stalk and put it in my tank in less then a month I had 5-6times what I started out with. It is a very interesting coral but if you can contain it do so. __________________ Happy Reefing! *210 upgrade on the way* Visit our Article section for answers on a variety of topics. LFS, PWC, PH RO/DI what in the world? Look here!

04-24-2008, 09:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
usmcmarc Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Greenwood Lake, NY Posts: 480 Images: 13	IME If the rock it is on is within an inch or two of anything (another rock, glass, etc..) it will stretch out and connect itself to it and then split off and grow. I have to scrape it off the glass with a credit card. It will propagate profusely. Just so you are aware.

04-25-2008, 08:47 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 2,499 Images: 5	Anytime! __________________ Happy Reefing! *210 upgrade on the way* Visit our Article section for answers on a variety of topics. LFS, PWC, PH RO/DI what in the world? Look here!

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