Donor: Pulsing PomPom Xenia

[poke75]

I have Xenia that thrives in my tank. I can get frags from it every other month. Several people already have them. I can have two, possibly more by Jan meeting.

These are for the use of the club members and friends of the club members. Try to do as Paul has requested in the following...

I will post pictures on Monday.

Paul, pardon the plegerism(sp?) please.

Each will be small, but will grow under VHO or MH lights(MH may be too intense).

Each is free to a member of the club providing that.....

They provide the correct environ for it to grow.

They are at the next meeting to receive a colony

They describe how it grows for them under their conditions, and waht those conditions are.

They promise that once they are twice the size they are now, they will donate a colony the approximate size of the original donor colony.

If you wish to be a sponsor....reply to this list. First come first served. The next people on the list will receive frags from the sponsors when the colony has doubled.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[JONESY604]

Im up for some pulsing pom pom

 

[luvabunny]

Yet again I am trying some xenia, and yet again it doesn't seem to like my setup. Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong? I have a small frag I received at the last meeting - it was attached to a rock, and even pulsing in the bag. I first placed it in my reef tank, and it stopped pulsing. It still opens, but the fingers look more like tulips than pulsing xenia. I tried a couple of other spots with the same results. Yesterday, I put it in the seahorse tank, same results. It opens, but only to tulip shape, no pulse.
The lighting and water flow on these 2 tanks is very different. Are there any ideas what I am doing wrong?

 

[JONESY604]

Hi April,

I believe there is an article in Anthony Calfo's book of coral propogation that explains what he did when his pulsing zenia stopped pulsing and what caused it. It could be that. Ill check tonight when I get home and let you know what I find out or someone at home with the book can check it.

Dale and Cathy

 

[poke75]

April,
The xenia came from me.

I don't know what it is not liking about your setup, but I can tell you what it does like about mine. I will try to check all of the parameters of my tank tonight and post them for you.

As far as light goes: I have only two VHO bulbs runnning at this time. One 50/50 the other an actinic. They are setting just under the surface of the water. The hands actually touch the surface when they pulse.

Flow: They are almost under my return. The water does not flow directly accross them but they do "blow" in the current.

Temp: The temp stays right at 78 degrees.

The frags I have made seemed to do fine in other places also. So I don't think they are too picky about light and flow.

I did have a problem with a "limped" (looks like a volcano) snail eating on them. (he went to the sump) He did this three times before I left him in the sump. They would shrink up and look terrible. I would pull him off and they would be fine.

Let me know what you find out. And I will post my tank parameters as soon as I check them.

Steve

 

[JONESY604]

Hi April and Steve:

In Anthony Calfo's book of coral propagation, he states on page 179 of this book that he "recalls watching colonies of xenia in his greenhouse, numbering more than one thousand individuals, stop pulsing in mass when the PH of the system fell below 8.3 and promptly resumed pulsing when it was corrected to 8.3 . " He says that he doesn't say that this is the one thing that stopped them from pulsing but it was certainly one of the reasons. What is the PH of your system. Also April, it could be that you need to let them get use to your water. Its all I can find. Hope it helps.

Dale and Cathy

 

[luvabunny]

Hi Steve,
I knew I got the xenia from you, and it looked very healthy and happy when I got it. My reef tank has a VHO and an actinic bulb, my seahorse tank has the normal 15 watt lights (2 to a side, 4 total) I use a product called Proper PH 8.2 by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, and my PH has never wavered from 8.2 in either tank. The temp in the reef tank is normally around 80, the seahorse tank stays about 78. I haven't checked the params recently (since the last meeting) but both are normally 0 ammonia and nitrites, with high nitrates (as I explained in November's meeting) I am beginning to think my test kit is inaccurate for nitrates. It could possibly be that it's not getting enough light, tho I tried it in several places in the tank, both with high and low light and water flow. It doesn't appear to be dying, it still fills with water, stands upright, and the fingers reach, but they don't pulse. Maybe it does just need to get used to my water.

 

[OscarBeast]

It even grows like mad in my 2.5-gallon tank... Weeds I tell you.

That pink xenia never did pulse well for me, however pompom does.

 

[Lazyreefer]

I would be happy to try some as well.


Doug

 

[LotR Clown]

Corals

Corals

I would say that xenia like any coral requires the same parameters necessary for growth. Keep an eye on your alk and pH. When it comes to xenia the more light the better.

HTH

 

[poke75]

I have the following people that have replied wanting some xenia:

JONESY604
Lazyreefer

I think there was another person that sent me an email. I deleted a bunch of PM's and might have lost some people.
If there are any others, let me know. I may have another frag or two coming with me.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[poke75]

My PM's just updated (I guess I got impatient)

I also have oceaninokc and timhenry.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[wwwatcher1]

mine has double in size using VHO. I have a large PH fluctuation (7.7 night conditions) - 8.4 with VHO) It seems to stop pulsing at night but I wasn't watching the PH connection.

I guess I need a propagation book since I haven't learned how to mount corals correctly.

 

[poke75]

Use a needle and fishing line.

Works well on them.

 

[Bungle]

What are the chances I might get in on some of the xenia?

 

[pwhitby]

For Xenia and mushrooms I take a clean glass and add some crushed coral and coral chips and shells. I drop the xenia in and leave it for a few days-week. It attaches all on its own.

I have also cut the individual tentacles from a xenia and had it grow that way as well.

Mushrooms are just the same. I also make my mushrooms split on the rocks they are on by slicing their base.

Paul.

 

[poke75]

I'll see what I can do to get a fifth frag for the meeting.

It might be a little on the small side.

This stuff grows like a weed though, so that should not be a problem.

Steve

 

[JONESY604]

Hello all:

My wife and I were cleaning up a couple of weeks ago, we crushed the heads of a couple of zenia and it went flowing. Two weeks later where it landed we have a new patch of zenia. It seems to be very resiliant.

Dale and Cathy

 

[pwhitby]

just a bump

 

[Bungle]

I placed the frag in my tank up against the glass. Today they were looking good, I will keep you posted.