Pulsing Xenia question???

[DSMawd21]

Ok i have a little stalk in my 25 gallon tank and he has grown alot....like 6 or 7 heads in like a month or soo.....but my question is that he isnt like pulsing just wavein around and not pulsing like the ones normally do! andbody got any clues???

thanx

 

[hansnfrans]

I have 2 different types of xenia in my tank. One type really pulses and the other type does just what yours is doing. Since they are both in the same tank, I have come to the conclusion that each species acts a little differently. Does your xenia have a light purple/grey color to it, or is it more red/pink?

 

[PSam]

I have had species that pulse in some tanks, not in others. Colonies of the same species that pulse in one part of a tank, not in others. Some that totally melt, some that spread like mad. One day it may start pulsing for you. Xenia is strange. That's all.

 

[DSMawd21]

its like red/pink and i got it from pet fun on 59rt...theres slit hardcore and i bought a stalk and theres pulses like mad....

 

[rickyb]

If Alk is low it will reduce or stop its pulsing. (only if it is a pulsing Xenia, not all do)

 

[XeniaMania]

First of all, make sure what you have is a Xenia and not a Cespitularia or Anthelia. Once you confirm that, then you can move on to the amount of lighting it gets. The pulsing action is believed to be a form of respiration and if it's not getting enough light and not producing massive amounts of food, then there's little reason to respire much. Having too much current on them also reduces the pulsing as once again, there's no point. Think of them pulsing as your lungs expanding and collapsing as you breathe.

 

[hansnfrans]

XeniaMania- you say that current keeps the xenia from pulsing, and if pulsing=respiration, then is the current keeping the coral from respirating or does the coral not need to pulse because the current is doing that job for the xenia?

 

[XeniaMania]

Yes sorry I should have been more clear, the current does the job for them which is why they'll pulse less.

 

[hansnfrans]

XeniaMania- I sent you a PM.