GSP and Pom Pom Xenia

[davehead86]

I'm picking up some liverock after the holidays and these corals are already established on the rock. This is great because I've wanted to start with some softies in my tank. However, I'm reading the GSP is basically a pest and takes over the tank. Can it be tamed? Is it constant work to keep them from taking over the tank?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I won't put them in my tank for the reason you said. Think long and hard before you do it.

There are many other softies that you can do that are easy to grow, go to Live Aquaria website and look at the soft corals and see what you would like to keep. There are great descriptions on everything on their website and it's easy to navigate.

 

[3dees]

both corals are hard to stop from over taking your tank. I have gsp on a rock that sits on the sand away from the main rocks. the mat will creep along the sand, but every couple of months I just trim it with scissors. I won't have any xenia in my tank. nice looking coral, but nearly impossible to keep in check.

 

[cloak]

There both very easy to manage IME. Epoxy can be used to smother or contain the GSP if need be & Xenia can easily be pruned/manicured just as long as you pick up the pieces. Basically just don't let them get ahead of you. I've said it once and I'll say it again, the only reason why corals like this become a problem is because the owner let it become a problem. Nobody wants to admit that they were just lazy and didn't do the work necessary to keep things like this under control. I'm sure we've all seen tanks that are just infested with this stuff, but keep in mind this didn't happen overnight. What was the hobbyists doing in the meantime? GL.

 

[Bogue Chitto]

I agree with cloak. It seems like people want a coral that will grow in their tank and when it does well they want something else. I would love to have corals that take off and do what is expected.

 

[JamesHolt]

I have both GSP and Xenia in my 40g Breeder, each have their own rock not touching anything else. About once a month I pick up the GSP rock and just peel off several good sized portions and put it in a ziplock with some tank water. I do this when I make a trip to the LFS. (Trade-in$$$)
The Xenia, about once a month also, I just cut off most of it with a razor blade and toss it..
I dont have the room to frag anything out yet..

If you really want to knock the Xenia back ,do a 10 minute freshwater dip on it, takes it a while to bounce back from that...

 

[shiftline]

As long as their on their own rock they are fine. I have gsp and keep it about an inch for anything else to be safe

 

[davehead86]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Im thinking Im going to just dry up all the liverock except for maybe a choice piece or two that has some GSP and Xenia on it and go from there. Im trying to keep hitchhikers out of my system too.



I got some coral rx dip solution. The LFS told me not to dip anything but the Xenia. Is that true? Can I dip an RBTA and GSP also?


EDIT: Oh and these guys arent poisonous right. I dont have to worry about gloves and what not when I start cutting them back of they get too big do I?

 

[JamesHolt]

GSP and Xenia poisonous? no, but still a good practice to get into using gloves..
Dipping a RBTA I dont know about, I dont think so, but ask in the anemone section to be sure....
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=36