The missing Xenia Polyp after my vacation...

[AquaWave523]

So I just got back from my 4 day vacation and to find that the Heteroxenia Polyp is completely missing. There's no trace or sign of it anywhere. I checked the pump, sump and even behind the rocks.

Right now the suspects are the hermit crabs but I'm not sure if they eat xenias.

The current live stock are:

2 percula false clowns
3 blue/green chromis
6-8 hermit crabs....

It appears to be a clean swipe as if the coral just de-attached itself from the frag piece and disappeared.

 

[epstein]

Nothing.....and I mean Nothing Eats xenia.......LOL...I vote detached...

 

[AquaWave523]

Then where would it go? What would make it de-tach itself?

 

[danikowa]

Xenia has a tendancy to "melt" in some tanks even when other corals are doing fine. My first xenia melted away and left no trace in a matter of a day or two. I have heard it might have something to do with iodine levels...

 

[AquaWave523]

wow...it just melts? Man that sucks! Can anyone confirm this?

 

[cfw1199]

I can confirm it 110%. I had almost the left 3rd of my tank full of it to the point I was throwing it out in the front yard. Cleaned my water up dramatically with intro of SPS about 2 years ago....I have about a 2 inch square left thank God. I don't think I will be alone in saying you are probably better off having it melt. That stuff is nuts if it takes hold.......But yes it will just melt away sometimes overnight here today gone tomorrow.

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Xenia will melt away in a couple of days,for no apparent reason.

 

[AquaWave523]

is this related to iodine...?

 

[IslandCrow]

I don't think anyone will be able to tell you exactly why xenia is nearly indestructible in most people's tanks, but simply won't live in others. There are a hundred theories, from iodine to nutrient levels that are too low, but personally I think most of those theories are a load of. . .well, you know. I've never seen or heard of any evidence that iodine is in any way used by xenia or related to its growth. Now, that's not to say it isn't, but don't take it for granted if someone swears it is. I know I've never dosed iodine, and have always had great success with xenia.

 

[Sk8r]

They sometimes just melt. Seriously. Water quality issue.

 

[NirvanaFan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15548725#post15548725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by epstein
Nothing.....and I mean Nothing Eats xenia.......LOL...I vote detached...

My powder blue tang loved the stuff. It was the only coral that it touched though. I went from having 10-12 stalks to having just nubs of it in a matter of weeks. It never let the xenia grow more than 1/2" tall.

I'd vote melting away though. Also, xenia is known to be a terrible shipper.

 

[moevilla]

I have a damsel that tore up my pulsating xenia. He would literally dive in and tear off branches of the xenia, then the thing wouldn't full open or pulsate. It is now a small smudge of pink on a rock. I am glad, but now the devil, I mean damsel is nipping at my lps and sps corals.

 

[Guillaume]

I can tell my Maroon clown started once to eat my Xenia. They started to disapear really when I changed my T5 to MH and PC. I'm now still having a hard time to keep them when it was so easy when I was on T5. I was also trowing them in garbage or selling to the LFS.