Anthelia and xenia

[carey]

Just an easy question.

is anthelia the same as xenia? The reason I ask is that live aquaria has the anthelia listed as difficult and then mention that it's name is xenia sp....

here is the link that has me confused.

Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Waving Hand, Thick Stem

Thanks!!

[leftyfish]

I have both and they are different, if that helps, lol! Anthelias are typically called waving hand coral and have long wavy petals (for lack of better word) and my xenias are short petals that pulsate.

I'm sure they share some scientific level, probably genus not species, haven't looked it up though. You want some, lol... Weeds I tell you, weeds. But I like them.

[Mudzie]

They do both seem to grow pretty rapidly, the xenia though is so easy to frag. When they grow into a fork i just slice in the middle a couple times wrap a piece bridal vail with rubber band to piece of rubble, three days it takes off...swap at lfs,trade????easy

[kay-bee19]

Yeah, live aquaria's wording and photo are kind of confusing and seem to give the impression that xenia and anthelia are the same. They're both xeniids but as leftyfish mentioned, they're not one and the same (though they both are capable of growing at weed-like proportions).

Here are some video's of my xenia's and anthelia:

Anthelia:
Anthelia (waving hand coral) - YouTube

Xenia:
Pulsating Xenia - YouTube

[Felix T Cat]

I will NEVER again put anthelia in any tank I own. I thought it was beautiful when it was a small frag but it spread like a weed and was a disaster to try and remove. When I had xenia it at least stayed somewhat close to one section. Anthelia if it got cut or just a pc ended up somewhere it would grow like crazy. It is honestly the only thing I have ever regretted letting into my tanks.

[carey]

Ok, last question...LOL

is this anthelia or xenia? the tops pulse and wave though so I'm not sure hehe...

[Felix T Cat]

I've never seen "pulsing" anthelia so my guess would be Xenia. By pulse do you mean it you turn off the pumps you can see it opening and closing with no flow in the tank ?. If so I'd guess Xenia.

[carey]

Yep, the little flowers at the end actually open and close. But the stems are soo long so I dont know LOL

[Felix T Cat]

maybe in a low light area of your tank ? (corner / front edge ?) If so they would stretch to get more light.

[carey]

Hmm good point, I just moved them from my 125g to the biocube. BUT they were up pretty high in the big tank and were still quite long. lol I can't see them having had to stretch for light but who knows with this stuff? I just wanna know what I have so I can either sell it or give it away, I think I am done with this particular coral. Way too intrusive for me, anything it contacts it sticks to and starts spreading.

[Felix T Cat]

I'll wind up with xenia again (although a different shade then what you have) but it will be on a spaced away rock. For me at least xenia didn't spread through "chunks" the way anthelia did.
This was the color I had: Pulsing Xenia - YouTube

[kay-bee19]

Originally Posted by carey

is this anthelia or xenia? the tops pulse and wave...

There are different species of xenia. Your's appears to be xenia elongata, which is different in appearance from the pulsating 'pom-pom' xenia umbellata.

Anthelia doesn't have thick stalks.

Light-deprived xenia will 'move' toward the light (they're actually mobile corals, albeit slow), rather than reach for it.