Question about Xenia control

[maypo59]

Ok, my system is mostly SPS, but I liked the movement and look of Xenia, so I added a frag last year. The stuff is like crabgrass now, its everywhere. I have given pounds of frags to three LFS's and to the only other reefer I know in the area. Just cleaned out a coffee cups worth and have no where to take it. It crops up everywhere, in the middle of my zoo patches and all over my cocoa worms.. any thing that is known about a "natural" control? any help would be appreciated..

 

[sir_dudeguy]

you could try injecting them w/hot water or something?? Worked once for me but i only did it on one. It just melted away sort of...

 

[fsn77]

Our scribbled rabbitfish devoured the Xenia elongata we had in our tank. That and one species of Anthelia in our tank are the only corals that have been bothered. We have pop-pom Xenia and a couple other species of Anthelia which he has no interest in for whatever reason. While I know that rabbitfish are prone to pick at fleshy corals, I'm not sure what atracts them to one species of coral over another, let alone why any fish would want to eat Xenia -- surely you've smelled it.

Certain angels will eat Xenia... our friend had a coral beauty that liked to eat Xenia. I'm sure there's many other fish that would eat it, but you'd probably be risking the livelihood of your other corals.

I use to remove it from rocks I didn't want it on with a gentle, sustained pull... but, that's not effective on small stalks (they're too easy to mash).