xenia xenia xenia...

[SuperOstrich]

I've always kept pulsing xenia in my reefs and had probably sold 40-50 stalks of it all across SoCal back in 2000 or so.

I've kept it under halides, PC's, VHO, and even a crappy PC 4300K lamp I bought at Home Depot that I was going to use for a sump. In my experience they LOVE light. They'll even attach to the back wall and grow upwards to get closer to it, as people in this thread have shown in pics. I NEVER dose anything but 2-part calcium, and I mean never. I don't think I've even purchased an iodine supplement. I like to place the xenia in a low to moderate flow area because I've noticed they pulse better in that scenario, but they thrive in any flow from what I've noticed.

Right now I only run a 14g nano, but I got my hands on some xenia just like old times. I bought it a month ago and it looked pretty ragged. No pulsing at all, and the polyps were super-stretched like they were reaching for light. After about 4 days, the polyps returned to what I call a normal length and the pulsing began. I'd say about 20-30 new polyps have sprouted since I bought it. You can see very small new polyps growing from the stalk on a daily basis now. Here's a quick video of it pulsing from above:

http://superostrich.net/nano/pulsing_xenia.wmv

 

[Tank2379]

This was my Pulsing Xenia back in Janurary 09'

Now here is is about 3 weeks ago. Since then I had to chop some off..

I used no Chemicals, no dosing, and no feeding, Only light and a 5 gallon water change every two weeks or so. water temp @ 78-79 degress. Salinity @ 1.026. They grow like weeds in my system. They do thrive on medium to high current...

 

[darkdruid]

My xenia grows like crazy, even at temps up to 84 degrees. I use mine as an iodine tester. If they slow down or stop pumping, I add iodine and they are pumping faster and harder within minutes.

 

[dpbement]

The alkalinity has been the biggest factor in keeping mine going. If I don't stay on top of it, and it drops below 9.0 they start wilting. I'd suggest keeping it between 10-12 and stay on a regular schedule of 10% water changes. I also supplement iodine weekly but nowhere near 20 drops...

 

[deacon hemp]

I have noticed IME that it loves 10k MH lighting med to high and low to medium flow looks best (not whipped around extended look),and iodine acually does make it multiply and spread faster.My friend accidentally dosed way too much iodine in a tank with thriving,pulsing xenia 2 types and both trippled the week after the near over dose.I came over a few days later and i couldnt belive it,the tank was covered like a hair algea attack,but it was xenia!.Ive also seen it do better at 10-15 ppm nitrates.
Thats my 2 cents.



Deac

 

[pong]

i think iodine does something to this...

was trying all sorts of things and nothing works for it.
mine does not spread.
got so ****ed and dumped close to 2ml of iodine (tincture) the next day. they are all pulsing.

so does this really need iodine?

 

[Rae C.]

Not IME. They thrive on benevolent neglect in my tank.

 

[RyanDragon]

anybody have a frag of xenia I can have ? I've already tried to keep xenia 6 months ago but it die on me,, so now I want to try to keep it again,, but the LFS in my area doesn't have any xenia in stock for over 2 months now,,, I live in Downers Grove, IL, if anybody that have xenia that they doesn't want to have I'll take it...

 

[jtreefdweller]

I've noticed they do much better with frequent water changes.

 

[muddysr5]

Holy xenia, Rae C.!!!

 

[JMalone81]

My Xenia grows like crazy between 77-81.Your alk is a little high.

 

[lancer99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15009889#post15009889 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by darkdruid
My xenia grows like crazy, even at temps up to 84 degrees. I use mine as an iodine tester. If they slow down or stop pumping, I add iodine and they are pumping faster and harder within minutes.

How do you spell "coincidence?"

I've never added Iodine to my tanks, and in one of them, Xenia grows like a weed. In the second, it grows, but grudgingly. In the third, I can't keep it alive at all.

It's just one of those mystery corals...if you can't keep it alive, move on!

-R

 

[PolypHunter]

I have the pulsing xenia and i must say its nonstop even at night. Tank is at 78 degrees and doing frequent water changes.

 

[Orochimaru]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15219141#post15219141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PolypHunter
I have the pulsing xenia and i must say its nonstop even at night. Tank is at 78 degrees and doing frequent water changes.

that's when you know they are healthy and unstoppable..

 

[scuba guy ron]

I have been selling my zenia clipingings in craigslist.com. I clipped off about 20 two weeks before this pic was taken.

 

[darkdruid]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14619162#post14619162 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lancer99
With all due respect to the above posters, I don't think anyone knows why Xenia flourishes in some tanks, and dies in others.

It doesn't seem to have anything to do with temperature, light, pH, and certainly not anything as silly as Iodine dosing.

-R

Iodine can and will make a difference. Try it one time. If your xenia quits pulsing add some and watch. Luckily, what you think and what I know are two different things.