Xenia

B

bluespotocto

New member
I am thinking about getting a new soft coral for my sps/soft coral tank. I was thinking xenia but i keep reading that they will take over and lose your tank to them. I have a good spot for them but how fast will they take over? Also any info about them if i do plan to get some would be nice?
 
i would stay away from them. they have reached plague proportions in my tank and i have to prune aprox 20-30 heads every other month.
 
You'll have to keep it pruned by pulling pieces out as it spreads. Unfortunately, it regrows wherever it was attached to a rock. Xenia is a cool looking coral. If you want it then get some. Put it on the highest rock in your tank to keep it under control. It will have a much harder time spreading down the rock. Keep it away from the glass too.
 
I dont want a coral that will be a pain. I already have some kenya tree coral that spreads fast and i have to prune that. What would be another cool soft coral the waves and just looks cool?
 
I like mine, and the frags a originally received have all moved to the upper rocks closer to stronger lighting. They do spread quicky but i just pull a few heads off and post them occasionally locally for sale/trade. Always someone looking to pickup a few for a new tank. Just monitor it.
 
They will spread to other rocks and will not just stay where you want them. They will throw off their small pulsing hands and where they land is where the next colony will start. If you maintain good water quality it will only be a couple of months before you have a xenia only tank
 
this is a great coral to have if you have lower lightinng it takes ahwile to spread.

theres always frag swaps and trash cans to get rid of corals
i know people who scrap there rocks clean every 6 months to get rid of zoas and green star polpys since they spread just as bad as any other soft coral can.
 
Keep them on a high rock. Mine have been there for a while and no issues spreading downward. It is very cool looking to have around 1000 stalks of xenia wave in the water
 
Funny, I think I am the only one in existence to try to get my xenia to actually GROW! Everytime the polyps get long enough to start pulsing again, something comes and eats the top of them! I have three small frag sized pieces, and had them for about 7 months now. They hardly grow at all. All of the other corals are doing ok. Candy canes SLOWLY growing, Frog spawn SLOWLY growing, pipe organ SLOWLY growing...

Basically everything is growing VERY SLOWLY, but something keeps eating the xenia.

I have mine under the lighting described in my sig.
 
SATAN FISH said:
Funny, I think I am the only one in existence to try to get my xenia to actually GROW! Everytime the polyps get long enough to start pulsing again, something comes and eats the top of them! I have three small frag sized pieces, and had them for about 7 months now. They hardly grow at all. All of the other corals are doing ok. Candy canes SLOWLY growing, Frog spawn SLOWLY growing, pipe organ SLOWLY growing...

Basically everything is growing VERY SLOWLY, but something keeps eating the xenia.

I have mine under the lighting described in my sig.
Click to expand...

slow growth in your tank is probly attributed to your use of 20k lighting. Did a little research a few mos back because i was pondering switching from 14k to 20k and found numerous posts stating of the spectrums available 20k has been found to produce the least growth since the spectrum has the least usable light for proper coral growth.
 
I keep reading everyone's posts about this stuff taking over your tank, but I am still considering getting some for my own tank anyways. It is one of the coolest corals I've seen and one that got me interested in the hobby. I haven't seen anything else that moves like this...the pulsing can put you in a trance. I like it. I don't see the problem with "mowing" the tank every couple of months. Like people have said, there are always frag meets, or the toilet. Maybe I'll hate myself for this later, but this is perhaps the only case where I will probably ignore the advice of others and take my chances. It is just too cool looking.
 
thats exactly what I did and i now regret it. my wife used to say it was her favorite coral. now she asks me if i've figured out how to kill the weeds once a week.
 
Like many others, I used to love it but will never put it in another tank. It grows out of control and your hands will stink for a day or two after touching it.
 
Gills 619 said:
They will spread to other rocks and will not just stay where you want them. They will throw off their small pulsing hands and where they land is where the next colony will start. If you maintain good water quality it will only be a couple of months before you have a xenia only tank
Click to expand...

Is there any reason you made two posts to get this message out with your first one?
 
believe it or not, i have never had success with this coral! i can grow plenty of other softy/lps but not xenia?!?!
lol
 
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