Xenia Issues

[JoshMO]

My Xenia frag has been closed up for about a week now, and I just noticed it has a bubble forming at the base. What is wrong with it? It was doing fine for a little while and then went downhill fast. I've checked my water parameters and they are all good. The nitrates were very low though (less than 0.5ppm) and I've heard Xenia like water with higher nitrates. Could this be the reason? I also know that some people just can't keep Xenia alive in their tanks, but I was wondering if there is anything I could do to try and save it? If need be I can probably get a decent picture of it.

 

[JoshMO]

decided to go ahead and take/upload the pic



It was closed like that before I picked it up to take the pic

All other corals are doing well. There are star polyps, kenya tree, and a duncan in there as well.

 

[Khemul]

I'd guess Caulerpa as the source of the bubbles. Shouldn't be bothering the Xenia that much, but it can be a pain to remove once it gets a foothold so you may want to consider removal.

How long was the Xenia in the tank? Any change to the tank you can think of when the shift happened?

 

[ryanmell]

my pulsing xenia will close up for a few days or a week at a time but always opens back up

 

[planedoc]

Are you using phosban or gfo?

 

[JoshMO]

I tried to get the caulpera out when I first got it about 2 weeks ago but I didn't want to damage the Xenia since it's sort of grown around it. Also no I dont run phos ban or gfo.

I've since moved the Xenia to the bottom of the tank and it's polyps are extended but not pulsing much, I'm hoping thats a step in the right direction and that its not too far gone

 

[ryanmell]

planedoc would running phosban of gfo cause xenia issues?

 

[Khemul]

planedoc would running phosban of gfo cause xenia issues?

Xenia isn't understood 100%. Which is essentially why if you take two virtually identical systems, it can thrive in one and die off in the other. There are a bunch of unknown variables.

One of the known variables seems to be nitrates and phosphates. It seems to feeds off the stuff. They like a balance, not too high but also not too low. Phosban and GFO can strip the water and make it too clean for their liking. It doesn't necessarily mean you can't run phosban or GFO with Xenia, just that it is something to keep an eye on and keep in mind for diagnosis.

 

[JoshMO]

My nitrates and phosphates are both very low. I have a lot of macro algae in the sump and a good skimmer, those are the only things I can think of that might be keeping them down. I can retest later today and post the new results if that would help.
Xenia still not pulsing, but has a little extension.

 

[planedoc]

My xenia starting looking like yours one day. I checked my log and the only change I had made was I started running sea chem phosban 10 days prior. I removed it and they came right back. Like stated above, there is no so called recipe to follow, its more hit and miss but they always do better in dirtier water. If you want sps corals you need to forget about xenia, or run two seperate tanks

 

[ryanmell]

i just wondered because I ran Kent phosoban for a couple day and the stalks of my xenia is looking thin guess I have xenia problrms too right now mine is still pulsing though