Xenia propagation

[BeachVacationer]

I noticed today these tiny offshoots from the main branches. Do these drop off to find new location?



http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=328955&stc=1&d=1442585474

 

[Greybeard]

If it likes your tank, it'll grow like a weed. I used to use xenia as nutrient export. They don't 'walk', like an anemone would, but they can spread into a massive colony.

 

[organism]

They'll basically start to reach nearby rocks with those little offshoots to attach and keep growing out.

 

[BeachVacationer]

Now I understand how Xenia spreads. The main branches starts to pinch off and attach to the rock close by. In two weeks it went from one colony as in my first picture to 5 separate colonies. Yikes!

 

[Wolfex]

They are great in small numbers but they multiply exponentially. I have had problems controlling them on previous tanks until they all crashed all of a sudden. If you keep them on a separate rock you can easily pull it out from time to time and make cuttings for propagation.

 

[sixpackgarage]

I just spent 2-3 hours eradicating xenia from my tank this past weekend. Most of it was on one rock, which I promptly removed and threw in the back yard. There are little mini colonies all over the tank. I've been scraping them off rocks and luckily most of them are in the sand, so I can just pluck them out. I scraped one area completely this past weekend and a new head popped out last night already. This coral is truly a disease unless you like it growing everywhere. I must admit, I've done nothing to stop it from spreading for the past 4 months...but it's in my opinion better left out of a reef tank. I've heard of different species that basically just grows on a stalk vs. the kind the OP has and I have which spreads like crazy.

 

[PfenWendt]

Im the opposite from you sixpack, i love how xenia spreads, also GSP. Maybe im weird but i think it looks cool, aslong as it doesn't take over my other corals its fine haha

 

[sixpackgarage]

Im the opposite from you sixpack, i love how xenia spreads, also GSP. Maybe im weird but i think it looks cool, aslong as it doesn't take over my other corals its fine haha

Yeah dude, so that's what was happening in my tank..Xenia was growing in places where it was starting to choke out other corals. It's all fun until that happens

 

[nogascans]

If it likes your tank, it'll grow like a weed. I used to use xenia as nutrient export. They don't 'walk', like an anemone would, but they can spread into a massive colony.

I have to disagree in part on the don't walk (like an anemone). I had a small rock with some Xenia kept away from rocks (as suggested here) and a small offshoot reached over to side glass and over time has SLOWLY moved up glass (assuming it stopped at its upper lighting PAR limit).

Sincerely,

David

 

[SalinFL]

@sixpack - understanding your dislike of that spreading behavior, stay away from Kenya trees. Currently having the same issue, they are prolific and hard to contain.

 

[ReefingRy]

I keep mine on a separate rock. I plan on just picking them out immediately if they pop up elsewhere.