Losing my war on Xenia

[brad]

I've been in this hobby for 14 years. Except the last 2, I've always either had a small colony of Xenia or was in the process of trying to establish one. It has always behaved well for me, and I like the look. For the first time, my Xenia has taken off faster than I can remove it, and it has taken over my 270 gallon mixed reef. I've been trying to remove as much as I can, but I am losing - it seems after 1 week of removing as much as I can, more grew back.

Long ago, I had a friend with a queen angel who ate xenia (the fish, not the friend). Obviously I don't want to try a queen angel in my tank, what are some other options?

My guess is a raccoon butterfly will eat it and be the least destructive.

 

[brett559]

From what I hear, racoons will eat everything (every coral, every nem, every everything!). I had a Copperband Butterfly in the past that ate Xenia like no tomorrow.

 

[ThRoewer]

I remember the days when you could have made a S**t-load of money with growing Xenias fast.
Seems today it's a pest rivaled only by Aptasias.

 

[alton]

After you remove the Xenia do a FW dip

 

[brad]

Worried my acropora won't like a freshwater dip

 

[running scott]

From my experience some purigen from Seachem. About double recommended dose strips all nutrients from the water starving the Xenia . Worked for me, and I didn't even want to rid my tank of it!

 

[alton]

Low nitrates, nutrients, and phosphates will kill it. I killed it in my old 200 by lowering those items

 

[Baldguy]

A Zoster Butterflyfish completely rid my tank of Xenia. Zoster and the Yellow Pyramid butterflies are supposed to be reef safe with the exception of loving Xenia. LA warns that they will eat Xenia. DD has a Zoster right now.

 

[ca1ore]

Agreed. Quad (now trio) of pyramids cleared my tank of Xenia and blue clove polyps in a couple of weeks. Haven't observably touched anything else.

 

[snorvich]

I remember the days when you could have made a S**t-load of money with growing Xenias fast.
Seems today it's a pest rivaled only by Aptasias.

Yes. Some folks have tried it in their refugium, however. Not me, I don't like marine weeds.

 

[snorvich]

A Zoster Butterflyfish completely rid my tank of Xenia. Zoster and the Yellow Pyramid butterflies are supposed to be reef safe with the exception of loving Xenia. LA warns that they will eat Xenia. DD has a Zoster right now.

A good biological alternative.

 

[brad]

Still thinking about the Zoster on DD. Not a cheap fish, and not great looking either. Any other suggestions?

 

[jaybfresh]

I had a RBTA park itself over a large Xenia colony. Now there's no more Xenia.

 

[Winwood]

Almost all pomacanthus species will eat xenia

 

[Apotack]

I've been battling Xenia for a while. Right now I've had good success by allowing macro algae to grow over the Xenia and basically smother it. When it's gone I pull the macro.

 

[alex gonzales]

Don't put a Racoon butterflyfish in your tank, he will eat all your coral!