eating coral

[doconnell]

As you may know I'm new to this so please bare with me. I woke up this morning to notice that something in my tank is eating my coral that was fantastically growing. They are only eating my xenia which I have three different kinds.

I have a clown fish, psudo, chromis and yellow tang along with hermit crabs and snails.

Can anyone enlighten me on why this could be happening. I did get the algae under control by reducing the light time but now I think they are eating the coral as they don't have as much algae to eat. Could this be correct?

 

[the2ofus]

i'm not sure whats eating your xenia but when you figure it out, let us know so we can buy the same critter and keep ours under control....
My hippo tang will nip at the blue snowflake polyps (anthelia)

 

[Mitsuko]

Are you sure they are not melting? I personally had a peppermint shrimp that started to eat xenia polyps after it was done eating my aiptasia. Good Luck

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

I would put money on the tang. How often do you feed?

 

[doconnell]

That was my thought but wasn't sure they would eat the coral as I see it eating the algae. I feed twice a day. Should I increase the feedings. I feed them spectrum there +A. should I feed them something else?

I'm also going to increase my light time to 8 hours to make sure I produce enough algae for everyone.

 

[doconnell]

I don't know if they are melting. What would cause them to melt? All I know is that they are half their size so I assumed they were being eaten.

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

That was my thought but wasn't sure they would eat the coral as I see it eating the algae. I feed twice a day. Should I increase the feedings. I feed them spectrum there +A. should I feed them something else?

I'm also going to increase my light time to 8 hours to make sure I produce enough algae for everyone.

If you want more algae feed sheets of Nori. Leave the lights as is. I feed my fish the spectrum, mysis, Rods food (it has everything). I would try the Nori first. If you need some pm me. I have a bunch and live in the south hills. I can give you some.

 

[doconnell]

ok, I actually seen the yellow Tang eating at the Xenia's. Any suggestions on how to stop him, except feed him more. LOL Is there something he is lacking in his diet that is making him go after them?

 

[bnmir]

I seem to remember hearing about nudibranchs that eat xenia, as i recall, they look a lot like it, with little tassles on their backs.

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

ok, I actually seen the yellow Tang eating at the Xenia's. Any suggestions on how to stop him, except feed him more. LOL Is there something he is lacking in his diet that is making him go after them?

Tang's graze all day long. I put a piece of nori in on a clip about 3 to 4 times a week. Mostly just my purple tang and foxface eat it. I don't think it necessarily means it's lacking a specific food just that it's hungry. Once they get the taste and like it they will usually continue to pick. Mine have been model citizens but I still can't be 100% sure that down the road they won't and I have had the purple tang for 5 years and the foxface for a year and a half.

 

[doconnell]

I will take you up on the nori and hopefully it eats that and will leave the coral alone. I will be at the meeting tomorrow or we can catch up another day. thank you for everything. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[mws12075]

My Xenia had a short time where i thought it was "melting"...it was retracting, seemed less full...now its back to normal and then some...i believe it was dividing on me...seems much more full than before...?

 

[cloakerpoked]

yeah, sometimes you get a day where something doesn't open fully. When they come back it's usually a good indication that it was just dividing or something.

 

[LeviChar1]

low alkalinity makes xenia melt. they are particularly sensitive to alk, in my experience....when this happens its like watching an icecream cone melt.....there is just less and less there until only a puddle remains. you wont see pieces break off or anything like that....that is a sign of feeding.

pep shrimp do eat corals. there are several varieties that love to steal softies, and usually grab them and move them to a safer place. if xenia are mounted on a rock that cant move, then use a red light at night (red film on a flashlight) to see the culprit. Usually pep shrimp dont wait for the dark....they eat whenever, and are usually very bold about it.

cloak is right on the dividing thing, but usually that is pretty obvious.