Overcrowding With Corals?

[reeflearner]

I have had my reef aquarium up and running now for about 7 months. I must be doing something right because I have an abundance of coral, anenomes, and polyps growing and spreading. I also have 2 tangs, 2 wrasses, 3 gobies (1 is a mandarin), 2 pistol shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, emerald crabs, 2 conch, and a bunch of hermit crab, all doing well.

But now I am concerned of overcrowding with the spread of my pulsating xenia and leather finger corals. And now I have a bunch of new small "wavy" corals growing all around (looks like xenia and leather finger offspring).

Could I actually harm my reef by allowing things to grow too much? I have already harvested some xenia and sold it to my local reef aquarium store. But how often should I do this?

Thanks for any advise.

 

[mikenam]

It is really your preference. If you like the look it shouldnt be a problem. When I first started reefing, I picked up some xenias because I was told they are easy to maintain and spread quickly. They add nice color to the tank and makes the tank active and dynamic with all of them pulsating. Quickly, I got tired of them because they spread so fast and would take up all the real estate in the tank. Even the glass had xenia, where I would have to scrape them off.

I dont think they will harm your tank. If you have other corals it might take over or end up blocking the
light. I think they are filter feeders which will clean your tank (might be wrong)

 

[Stormtrooper]

As you have mentioned yourself the Xenia spreads itself around very quickly.
They do look nice but unfortunately they have the tendancy to smother everything
else that is growing in your system.
My advice would be to try to limit their growth to rocks etc that can be removed as otherwise they will take over.

Dave

 

[skiingfast]

To keep Xeinia in check would it be better to add them to a tank that already has established coral and anemones?

 

[UTCReefer]

Its all about control. Xenia grow upwards so put them at the top of your rock and they should stay there.

Its like that for GSP too, you must keep it away from everything because once its on a rock you will never get rid of it. I grow my GSP as a matt on the back glass so it never spreads to the rock work.

 

[michaelg]

xenia by and large don't sting other corals, but will outgrow them and can shade them out. Xenia also don't seem to be affected by other corals much (SPS not sure about others). I started with a patch in a tank intended for SPS and I've been ripping them out constantly. Try to isolate them on their own rock/island and put up high or against the glass/back wall or overflow.