Bad Luck.....WITH XENIA!

[Bmgrocks]

New to the Salt Water Scene, but been doing all my research, about 3 weeks ago, purchased a colony of Xenia, All my water perameters were perfect, but it wilted, and somewhat opened and Died in 3 days.

Went to my LFS yesterday, to pick up a few items, and told the owner, that it had died on me. He decided to give me a new Larger Xenia for free.

Of Course, I rushed home, and new that it would contract in the bag on the way home

Got it home, and Did what he had said, Temp acclimated it for 40 minutes. His water temp is about 3 degrees off of mine

Put it in the tank, with medium flow indirectly hitting it, on the highest rock, had the light on for some 20 minutes went to bed

Only the larger Xenia's are semi Expanded and pulsating , the smaller ones are completely shrivled up

Will I loose these too? Is there anything I can do

He told me Xenia is a Hit or Miss in some aquariums, Should I try something Else?

 

[RokleM]

What kind is it? Pink, silver, dense, or thin and spread out? A lot of Xenia is hard to keep. A picture might help.

 

[Bmgrocks]

it is this purple, 3 larger stalks around 3.5" in the store when full, not dense. In my tank, its about half way extended. And the smallest xenia's are still crunched up.

 

[bgwil99]

Copper?

 

[Bmgrocks]

Copper.....well day 2 in the tank, its doing well and fully extended, pulsing etc. Yes! but the smallest pieces of it are still shrivled up and I think they are dying, But the Larger 6 stalks are thriving, should I scrape the dying xenia off? It will just cause a Spike in my tank if i leave it in there, or would my clean up crew finish it off

8 astrea
4 nassirus
2 Zebra hermits

 

[dtaranath]

i have the same problem! I just recently got two small xenia, and they are already shriveling up again! I'm thinking the only way to go would be to get a larger xenia and hope that the larger they are, the hardier they may be.

 

[RokleM]

Let them go. If they wilt away, it shouldn't have a big impact on your tank. Just prepare a couple minor water changes.

Xenia is weird sometimes. You may find it's perfect tomorrow.

 

[RedEyeElf]

if I have to much flow, they shrivel fast

delicate IMO

 

[RokleM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9039835#post9039835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RedEyeElf
if I have to much flow, they shrivel fast

delicate IMO

I would disagree 100%, at least in my case.

My fastest growing piece grows 2" DIRECTLY in front of my Tunze Nano Stream pumping out 600+ GPH. It gets thrashed all day, but is the fastest grower and best looking one I have in my tank when the pump is off.

 

[GSMguy]

my xenia grows differently in different places it is very hardy

 

[Klownfish]

IMO, Xenia and Athelia, even Cespitularia are very hit and miss. Sometimes they like your tank, sometimes they don't. It may not have anything o do with "How perfect the water is" but perhaps "How perfect your water is not". I have noticed tanks with higher nutrients often have better luck with these, including mine.

It sounds like you are describing Blue Anthelia. I'm not familliar with any "purple xenia" but the Blue Anthelia is sometimes so dark, it looks purple. It does seem more sensitive, too.


Best of luck to you.

 

[GSMguy]

a local club member has a 400+g system and has not done a waterchange in over a year he sells bags of xenia it thrivves they like a lil more nutrients but can also survive in stable sps tanks

 

[srieger]

i bought a 2 stalk xenia from a local guy i know and it looks like its splitting into 4's. i have it in a 10g nano for about 2 weeks now and its obviouslly flourishing.