Xenia

[RISEANDFLOAT]

My LFS has a Xenia Tree that is for sale at about 50 dollars. My question is if I can keep it in my 15 gallon?

My tank has a 65W compact fluorescent (Coralife) light on it and it has been setup for about 10 months now. I have had nothing but live rock and a clown in the tank this whole time.

Is this enough light for this coral? The LFS guy said yes but I don't listen to the ones I don't know. There is also moderate flow in the tank from the bio-wheel and small powerhead. The tank is 12 inches tall, 24 inches long.

 

[Lance M.]

Yes. It will do good.

Beware though in a couple months you might hate it cause it grows so fast. I don't plan on ever buying xenia again. And I'm glad my bta is killing some of it.

 

[cmor1701d]

You can usually get xenia for free from other reefers. That's how I got my original 2 pieces. I now regulary prune it. It stinks when out of the water!

 

[austinsdad]

To fast of a grower IMO for a 15g tank.

 

[Lance M.]

I guess it depends on the xenia. For some people I've heard it just stayed a stalk amd not grown much for them.

For me I had just one stalk for months and it never grew but then after a galaxea pretty much devastated it, it came back and start splitting like crazy. Now I'm glad it has pretty much stopped splitting. I currently have like ~15 stalks. I already got $70 store credit from my lfs for some of the xenia.

 

[austinsdad]

Now that's the ticket. Propogation! I sell a rock (provided by my lfs) and a stalk to my lfs for $8 each. They sell'm for $25.

 

[cmor1701d]

I'd love to get store credit for xenia. I just don't have an lfs willing to make that deal...

 

[RISEANDFLOAT]

Cool. Thank everybody for the replies. The guy said I could get by just using some Coral-Vite every now and then and feeding it phytoplankton I think? Is this true?

 

[newfound77951]

I don't think Xenia needs feedings.....I'm starting to think it might not be Xenia, since you mentioned it was called a Xenia "tree". It might be a Kenya tree coral, which looks like Xenia, but does require supplemental feedings, I think....someone else please chime in here. Maybe take a pic of it at the LFS and post it here so it can be positively ID'ed? The other reason I think it might not be Xenia is that no LFS would try and sell Xenia for $50.....

 

[austinsdad]

Good point. Never heard xenia referred to as "tree".

Coral-Vite every now and then and feeding it phytoplankton I think? Is this true?

More likely to foul your water than anything. Don't do it IMO. Regular water changes will give it all it needs. That's if we're talkin' xenia. Kenya tree (a leather BTW), same thing. No supplemental feeding needed.

 

[usmcmarc]

My LFS is selling a large featherduster with a hunk of pulsing xenia on it for $130.

8O

I'm gonna try to talk him down to $60

 

[austinsdad]

Waaay to much IMO. Unless it's a cocoa worm (white tube, orange feathers). They go for $70 or so by itself.

 

[Lance M.]

I can't think of a place that sells kenya trees for $50! My lfs maxes them out at ~$30.

My lfs does sell PomPom Xenia for $60 though.

 

[iamfor3]

Ijust tossed a bunch of kena and xenia in the trash

 

[melosu58]

Save your money on the coral vite esp. for that size tank. As Ray said it will foul up the tank. I`m concerned also about it over running the tank.

 

[Ziggy953]

If you put the xenia in a 15g tank I would suggest you put it on is own rock that is away from all other rocks. It will climb to the top of what ever it is attached to and multiply as it goes. I wouldn't put it in that small of a tank.

 

[fijiwigi]

My LFS sells pulsating xenia attached to a small rock. $14.99 for the small and 24.99 for the large ones.