Featherless pom pom

[rcrow25]

So I have had my pom pom xenia for about eight months has gone from one tiny nub to about six or seven stalks..question i have is they are featherless and obviously dont pulse..i supplement iodide and they seem healthy any suggestions? more current?

My water parameters were all tested right before i wrote this and were as follows, temp 76.7, sg-1.025, calcium-420 nitrite,nitrate,amonia,ph all read right where they need to be did not do iodide test since i did not have any distilled water but usually put about two drops in a day.

 

[gflat65]

That may be a bit of overkill on the Iodine. Maybe not detrimental, but probably not necessary, either.

How much flow are they getting? Mine always pulse best in less flow (though I've seen them pulse like crazy in higher flow, too).

When you say "where they need to be" what do you mean? There can be a range to what people consider 'optimal' (especially on pH). I've read that temperature has an effect on the rate of pulse. 76.7 is a little on the cool side for most tanks (though I don't remember the temperatures discussed in the article I referenced above).

What fish do you have with the Xenia?

Have they never pulsed, or just not in a while?

 

[rcrow25]

they have never pulsed or had feathers just assumed they were to small, they are getting very little flow i was going to try and increase it to see what happens...my amonia reads .25, nitrate 10,ph is 7.8,nitrite is 0..they are kept with two clowns, two damsels and i just added a yellow tang a couple weeks ago

 

[gflat65]

Those fish don't seem like pickers. Ammonia is higher than you generally want (as close to zero as possible). Usually, you'll see NH4 and NO3 drop out once the tank cycles (unless something has died, cycled hard, etc.). Do you feed heavily? I'm not a good example of feeding habits (feed on a bare minimum), but some feed relatively large amounts multiple times daily, which can leave excess food to break down in the tank.

Try some experimentation. Turn off all flow and see if they do anything different. Give them a few minutes. If nothing, try killing the lights, too. Sometimes, they are just stubborn for no apparent reason. Yours don't look unhealthy...

 

[captstinky]

If I overdo the iodine, the 'hands' or feathers 'burn' off, and the xenia looks like its been nipped. If mine don't pulse, it often indicates alk or pH issues; at least in my tank. 76 for pomp pom should be ok, higher temps with this one, however, are deadly (85 plus). That being said, this summer my tank (accidentally) rode out a weekend in the house with no AC, and the xenia somehow survived. Also, I've maintained some colonies down to 68, with little evident stress...

Xenia is a bit like little kids; what keeps one happy may not keep 'em all happy.

 

[captstinky]

Also, light. Seems more light helps them pulse more.

- looking at you photo, I'd say back off the iodine. Maybe every other day, or half of what you are adding daily, as they look burnt to me.

 

[gkb]

This topic comes up a lot.

Search Anthony Calfo Xenia on the WWW. His coverage of the topic is stellar.

Key points, which are frequently overlooked...pH and kh. Keep them high.

I have experienced the same problem in the past. I got, and have kept my pH and kh up, and have not had a problem since. Granted, other factors are at work, but don't forget about these two when it comes to xenia.

 

[singold]

Good flow & light & they will grow like weeds once they take hold. I'm not a believer in Iodine supplementing, either. Mine grow very quickly without having to dose Iodine. This is already supplemented with water changes. I frag & take them to LFS for credit all the time.

 

[GhostCon1]

I have xenia in my 20l and there is a very gentle flow in there with only 48w of T5 (10k and actinic).

I don't dose anything in the tank at all, it runs about 80F. My xenia did horrible for about 3 months and now are doing amazing.

 

[cjdevito]

After lights out take a flashlight and examine the xenia, paying close attention to just below the polyps where they join the stalks. Look for a small, thin white worm of almost exactly the same color of the xenia, wrapped around the crown of the stalk. These worms do have setae; , long, finer than hair and iridescent. You may spot the setae easier than the worm as the flashlight tends to highlight them.

There are syllid worms that are obligate xenia predators, and at least one major dealer of aquacultured pom-pom xenia is infested with them. Pom-pom xenia they are preying upon do not pulse and lose the feathery look to their polyps.

If it turns out you have one or more of these worms they can usually easily be removed with tweezers or forceps. They'll also drop off nearly instantly with a freshwater dip, but this does tend to be very harsh on the xenia.