Xenia and Polyps

[Joester2k3]

From my Understanding these corals do not filter feed???? They use light to thrive??? I just got them 3 days ago and they are open but i want to make sure i have the right things to care for them. I was informed Coral accel would help them thrive better is this true?

 

[Scottm]

they certainly require light to thrive but they do filter feed to some extent. At least thats how I understand it.

 

[Joester2k3]

Okay I have fitler food also that i was told to feed every other day.

 

[Hara]

There is really no need to feed them. They will get what they require from the light and from whatever leftovers are in the water when you feed your fish. You will most likely do more harm by fouling the water with the additives then anything beneficial.

 

[austinsdad]

Some DTs or cyclopeeze a couple times a week would be good for them and any other coral. Coral Accel. What is that anyway? Calcium or a variety of stuff? I'd try to keep that stuff up to snuff with regular water changes.

 

[jasno999]

Again not tryign to ride my high horse but I have a few comments. We have all been guilty of purchasing a item that we may not have known all the facts about or made an impulse purchase. However when it comes to corals and reefkeeping it is really best to do a little research prior to makign your purchases. That way this sort of question can be avoided

What I mean by that is better to ask this question when you have time to get answers and review them instead of doing it in a rush type of mode where you need answers. This is nto a rush mode but it could have been.

The general concensus is that those two corals do filter feed to some extent. Most people feel that they filter feed to a very small extent and rely on the lighting for the majority of their growing and health needs. So addign filter food may not be nessassary but as long as you do it in small amounts and make sure not to foul the tank water it is not a bad thing to do. I add some filter food for my tank that has a bubble coral, polyups, a leather, zenia and mushrooms.


But again little is realyl truley known about the coral world and nobody fully knows how much energy these corals derive from light verses food. Heck there are many so called reasons why the zenia puls yet nobody knows which is the right reason. Some say it is to eat, some say it is to breathe, some say it is for other reasons. Who the heck knows.

 

[Joester2k3]

So if some coral need iodine and others dont does it matter that the iodine is in the water?

 

[austinsdad]

I'd try to keep that stuff up to snuff with regular water changes.

I offer that again. Iodine can be dangerous if overdosed and there's no accurate test (at least that we may afford) to determine when enuf is enuf.

 

[FishFrik]

I've read some where that xenia doesn't have the ability to capture food. Light is all they use to live. Right?

 

[jasno999]

Some things you read will say that. Others might say that they are using the pulsing action to obtain dissolved solids in the water colum for food. I think that they do eat but I think the majority of their food comes in the form of light.

 

[Joester2k3]

ITs Hard to say just have to do water changes and offer some food here and there to make sure. From what ive been reading not alot is really known.

My Xenia Started Pulsing Today also =)

 

[jasno999]

What disd you do to get it to pulse?

 

[Joester2k3]

Well i placed it on the highest part of my rock to get the most light. And i also use vitamins for filter feeders. My one friend that has alot of SW tanks said it really helped his out. I think its called Coral Accel by Kent. I also have it placed in a moderate current flow. Sometimes there is no current and other times its moving like crazy it seems to like it.
HTH

 

[jasno999]

Yes well I forgot to do water changes for like 3+ weeks and my xenia started to wither and die. SO I quickly did a 50% water change and it came back. However it re-attached its stalk cause it had layed down when it was withered. Now it is basically in full flow of one of the power heads. But I am not goign to touch it or move the pump. I figure if it does nto like it it will move or start to die again. If that happens I will do somethign but for now it is whipping around like crazy. No way it is goign to pulse in that sort of flow but like I said I am nto goign to touch it for a hile and see how it goes.

I only have a 10 gallo ntank and I have two very small pumps in the tank. 60-80 GPH each or somehting around there.

 

[abnmojo]

I have xenia and zoos in my nano seahorse tank. I feed the horses mysid shrimp every day, and have personally watched the xenia and zoos eat the shrimp that land on the polyps. I cut the pump off so that the horses can catch the shrimp, and they just land on the polyps, but they close up, and engulf the shrimp.

My xenia are growing like crazy, and I am going to have to frag it back to smaller size soon. I add no other stuff to the water, at all. I put 2 small frags of xenia in the tank about 6 months ago, and now I have 9 large and a half dozen tiny frags of the stuff.

I have two groups of the stuff, one very high up and one in the middle of the tank. The one higher up pulses much stronger than the lower level colony. Water flow is the same on both.

I am guessing that water flow, and light are much more important to these things, however, a little food every now and then can help. I would not add a lot of filter feeder stuff to the water because it can foul it up, in a hurry. I would just go with frozen mysid shimp, as everyone loves these and they are much more nutritious when compared to brine.

 

[Fluff]

Thought I'd offer my experience. I have zoos and xenya, have had them for years. I never feed mine and they spread and grow like crazy.
I agree do not dose anything you can't accurately test for. Your not doing your tank any justice and in essence could be doing it harm.
Just some thoughts. Good luck.