Beginner Corals: Pulsing Xenia

[Troy V]

Its nice to see others implementing this method with success! I see you have 2 different types of Xenia in your sump. Did the Pom Pom out compete the Elongata?

 

[DRoth335]

Its nice to see others implementing this method with success! I see you have 2 different types of Xenia in your sump. Did the Pom Pom out compete the Elongata?

Good observation. Yes, the Elongata has not prospered nearly as well and is on the brink of going the route of the macro algae. It was actually the first xenia introduced but is a much slower grower in our system.

 

[Michael Brown]

So this is one of the things I want for my tank - but I'm confused on color. I'll see ads for purple pulsing xenia - but folks tell me its only purple due to the purple night light. Can you talk about colors available or is there truly only one color subject to lighting differences? Thanks!

 

[Saltine]

The real important question here is what LFS would actually give any credit for xenia?

 

[40B Knasty]

Checko

So this is one of the things I want for my tank - but I'm confused on color. I'll see ads for purple pulsing xenia - but folks tell me its only purple due to the purple night light. Can you talk about colors available or is there truly only one color subject to lighting differences? Thanks!

Checkout my tank. 40B Knasty on YouTube. You can see the difference on the tips of frogspawns and pulsing xenia when I change the lights from 2xBlue+ to 2xBlue+, Coral+, True Actinic. The Xenia goes from a blueish silvery white to a purplish silver white.

 

[Troy V]

The real important question here is what LFS would actually give any credit for xenia?

You are absolutely right! That is why I went with the Elongata. For me it was the only one the LFS could keep alive long enough to sell, and boy would it sell. Basically I would bring them in nice and charged with life. Then over the next few days they would pulse less and less until they would become a drab brown color and all pulsing would cease. I would then exchanged them for fresh ones, and the cycle continued. Most would sell within the first few days while they looked their best.

 

[Ubergroover]

picked some up last week..great addition. One of my hermit crabs hijacked on on its shell...turned up in another spot and doing great! fun to watch also....

 

[Seyoz]

Great article. I have always been a fan of xenia but have also been wary of it in a display. So, we have xenia in our sump. I started it as an experiment after reading a post on RC and have been impressed with its nutrient export capabilities. Over the course of about 6 months the macro algae (chaeto and calurpa) gradually disappeared as it got out-competed by the xenia for nutrients.

Here is a pic from a few months ago.
View attachment 507058

Beautiful.

 

[Katrina71]

I love gsp and Xenia. I like the pulse/ sway look. I understand it can be invasive. We have a tiny 8 gallon. Could anyone suggest a variety (with pic) that stays kinda short? I have a rock to isolate it. The rock is low in the sandbed and we use CP lighting.

 

[Xclusive Reef]

is there a way to keep xenia isolated in dt on its own piece of rock away from everything else? or will they still spread like that?

 

[Katrina71]

is there a way to keep xenia isolated in dt on its own piece of rock away from everything else? or will they still spread like that?

I was told yes, but I'm brand new. I'd like to get another opinion as well.

 

[Troy V]

Unfortunately there is no guaranteed way to keep it from spreading once in your DT. Either a piece will become dislodged and find its way into a power head, or a fish will nip one of the heads off and seed your tank. There are many other possible ways it can spread. But these 2 ways are the most common for me.

 

[Katrina71]

How hard is it to control with regular husbandry?

 

[Troy V]

Here is what can happen in a matter of months when a free floating Xenia finds a power head.
Before: 7/2002

After: 11/2002

 

[Katrina71]

Here is what can happen in a matter of months when a free floating Xenia finds a power head.
Before: 7/2002

After: 11/2002

Oh no! I don't want that.

 

[Katrina71]

What would be similar? Something not so risky.

 

[Troy V]

I haven't found anything that pulses. But recently I started growing Fire Clove polyps, and they don't seem to be as invasive plus they are very attractive. I don't have a pic of mine but this is what they look like.
www.google.com/search?q=fire+clove+polyps&client=ms-android-verizon&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiF3dPYrYHUAhWIyoMKHbtYDh8Q_AUICSgB&biw=360&bih=512#imgrc=lfLSp1UU2_LIsM:

 

[Troy V]

I would still would keep them on a separate rock.

 

[cdmckinzie]

Love the post, thank you. Can we keep copepods in the refugium if xenia is there? Will the xenia hurt them?

 

[Troy V]

Xenia makes an amazing refuge for your micro fauna. I had thousands of mysid shrimp, amphipods, and copepods.
In my video you can see some around the 2 min mark.