2nd failed attempt at Xenias

[jimmyx36]

I have a tank that's been running a couple of months. Has had livestock for over a month. I have a trachyphillia and symphillia that are doing well. However, I've added Xenia twice and they immediately close up with a day and melt. I put them in the shadiest part in my tank under a live rock arch so I don't think its light burning. Flow seems moderate. I acclimated for at least 20min.

Not sure if this info is helpful but despite my fish doing ok, I keep losing snails as well. Fish and LPS doing ok, but snails and softies don't make it very long.

I also had a thought that I may be running too much chemipure so I removed the bag. Using a whole bag for this system which is about 19-20g of water.

Here's a pic.

Parameters:
Alk 8.3
Calc 420
Mag 1260
pH: 8.1
Temp 79F
Salinity 1.026
Ammo 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15ppm

 

[AlSimmons]

Xenia has always been a tricky coral for me too. As easy as they are to get though I wouldn't sweat it. Eventually one might take hold and grow at an alarming rate.

 

[RA]

What are you using to check your salinity? If it's a refractometer did you calibrate with calibration fluid? If you're losing xenia and snails I would suspect that your salinity is off.

 

[jimmyx36]

I realized I have too much flow in my tank which is why most of my new corals are getting the tissues blown off them.

I have a IM 30gal long with the stock 450 gph pump on one end and a 650 gph on the other

 

[MHG]

consider yourself lucky. its way to invasive for me. I had it melt in a full blown reef and never knew why. but that was after it took over the tank.

 

[jd371]

It's taking over the back glass in my tank. The left side has GSP growing and the right has the Xenia. Eventually they will meet in the middle and battle it out.

 

[Flapjack287]

This is very interesting. We purchased an Xenia coral a few months back and it has grown like crazy. We now have four pieces that are larger than the original piece. Your water levels look fine. Our levels are around yours, the only difference is our nitrates are a little higher. What we did, we acclimated until the water level in the bag was at least doubled and placed it in the spot where it actually had quiet a lot of light. It did very well in the spot and it's now the fastest growing coral in the tank. My only idea of what could be wrong is the lighting. Perhaps they aren't getting enough, maybe try acclimating them for an extra 20 minutes, so 40 minutes total and put it in a spot towards the bottom of the tank and let it get a decent amount of light.

 

[Kegel]

I have a tank that's been running a couple of months. Has had livestock for over a month. I have a trachyphillia and symphillia that are doing well. However, I've added Xenia twice and they immediately close up with a day and melt. I put them in the shadiest part in my tank under a live rock arch so I don't think its light burning. Flow seems moderate. I acclimated for at least 20min.



Not sure if this info is helpful but despite my fish doing ok, I keep losing snails as well. Fish and LPS doing ok, but snails and softies don't make it very long.



I also had a thought that I may be running too much chemipure so I removed the bag. Using a whole bag for this system which is about 19-20g of water.



Here's a pic.

Parameters:

Alk 8.3

Calc 420

Mag 1260

pH: 8.1

Temp 79F

Salinity 1.026

Ammo 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 15ppm

https://youtu.be/gv20HYlpx2U

I run purigen, carbon, phosguard and poly filter. I don't think the chemipure is the problem


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[Kegel]

My Xenia prefer bright light, FYI. I have 2 sol blues on an Elos 70.

It literally took over my tank. I stopped fighting it and just let it do it's thing.

I don't think I'd ever add it to my tank if starting again. Way too invasive.


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[Kegel]

By the way, mine completely melted about a month ago. Couldn't figure out why. Turns out, one of my vortech pump controller power cords became disconnected and fell in my sump. Voltage in the water will melt them. Nothing else was affected. Once I removed the chord, they all rebounded.


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[kingfish22]

I find that my xenia like the water a little "dirtier" and don't do that well in tanks are to clean. this is just from my experience.

 

[Thor2j]

If you are in Orlando you can have as much as you want

 

[syrinx]

Xenia does what it does-kind of like why do bubble tip anemones bubble- or not. Electricity would not be an issue, as the corals are not grounded and thus the current has no effect. When electricity is used to entice coral growth, it is a complex system to make work, and it is based on the substrate the corals attach to, not free electricity. I would say wait a few months and let tank break in, maybe think about dropping salinity to 24 25. One thing I have seen many times with xenia, is that it will stunt,stretch,shrivel or otherwise stress-and then remain in that condition-alive but in suspended animation. You can even add a new frag that does well- and the shriv will just stay as it was.

 

[syrinx]

Here is a real world update- I was putting a coral in the tank today, and with one hand in tank reached over to sink, and felt a good amount of current! (its a old 1800s house and my aquarium is right next to the original kitchens farm style sink-Super handy)! In the last week the xenia have divided and are happy-so electricity not an issue. I also am a big proponent of chemi pure since the 80s, and have some in all my tanks without hassle to the softies.

 

[Anemone]

IME, xenia like "dirtier" water. You have the nitrates, but what are your phosphate readings?

Kevin