Unhappy Xenia elongata

[exotec]

I have a Xenia elongata which has recently become unhappy. It had a
thick "trunk" and pulsed energetically when it was first installed.
Its "cousin" Xenia (don't know the subsp - it's pinker with shorter
"fronds") is sprouting and dividing like mad. The former Xenia,
however, has become shrunken and no longer pulses. It opens up in the
mornings, but just seems to float around in the current. It will
contract if anything touches it, but it's pretty inactive these days,
compared to its original behavior.

I've gotten multiple conflicting advisories as to what to do about
this, and wonder what anyone else with Xenias might have to offer?

Both of them were purchased from the same store. They're placed about
two inches from each other in my tank. We have PC lights, and fairly
good water flow in their area. Our calcium is low - we're working to
remedy that, slowly. Right now it's about 360. I've been adding trace
minerals over the last couple weeks in the event that there may be
something lacking along those lines. Otherwise we're just doing the
weekly 20% water changes with salt mix.

Some people say they don't like light, others say they want more. One
will say they want vigorous water movement, another will say protect
them from it. Maybe there's something in the way of direct feeding
that they need? I'm pretty much at a loss, at this point. I'd really
prefer not to kill this guy, I like him!

Help!

=^..^=
.... the problem with people these days is that
they've forgotten we're really just animals.

[Rod]

The first thing to check is ALK, and pH when xenia is un-happy.
I keep a few different xenias under every type of lighting (MH, VHO, PCs) . IME
they "do better" under stronger lighting, and good flow.. not a jet stream
pointed at them, but good flow.

>I have a Xenia elongata which has recently become unhappy. It had a
>thick "trunk" and pulsed energetically when it was first installed.
>Its "cousin" Xenia (don't know the subsp - it's pinker with shorter
>"fronds") is sprouting and dividing like mad. The former Xenia,
>however, has become shrunken and no longer pulses. It opens up in the
>mornings, but just seems to float around in the current. It will
>contract if anything touches it, but it's pretty inactive these days,
>compared to its original behavior.
>
>I've gotten multiple conflicting advisories as to what to do about
>this, and wonder what anyone else with Xenias might have to offer?
>
>Both of them were purchased from the same store. They're placed about
>two inches from each other in my tank. We have PC lights, and fairly
>good water flow in their area. Our calcium is low - we're working to
>remedy that, slowly. Right now it's about 360. I've been adding trace
>minerals over the last couple weeks in the event that there may be
>something lacking along those lines. Otherwise we're just doing the
>weekly 20% water changes with salt mix.
>
>Some people say they don't like light, others say they want more. One
>will say they want vigorous water movement, another will say protect
>them from it. Maybe there's something in the way of direct feeding
>that they need? I'm pretty much at a loss, at this point. I'd really
>prefer not to kill this guy, I like him!
>
>Help!
>
>=^..^=
>... the problem with people these days is that
>they've forgotten we're really just animals.
>
>
>
>

[Marc Levenson]

It sounds like you have Pom Pom Xenia and Xenia elongata.
Both are light-loving corals and need decent current. The
pulsing occurs but so far we can't explain why.

Dosing various elements in your tank in an attempt to give
it the magic solution usually doesn't work. Adding
something that you can't test for is always a bad idea
because you have no way of knowing if you've dosed enough or
even overdosed.

Water changes are ideal. Low nitrates and low phosphates
are important for invertebrates. High alkalinity has a bad
effect on Xenia. And some believe that Iodine is important
for its survival, but it is consumed very quickly in the
water, usually within 24 hours or so.

I never had a problem keeping it in my 29g for over 3 years.
I never dosed anything and just maintained NSW levels. It
grows upward in the tank, reaching out for the lights. Many
people isolate it to control it from spreading.

Enjoy the Pom Pom Xenia that is doing better. It really is
the prettier one of the two.

Marc



exotec wrote:

> I have a Xenia elongata which has recently become unhappy. It had a
> thick "trunk" and pulsed energetically when it was first installed.
> Its "cousin" Xenia (don't know the subsp - it's pinker with shorter
> "fronds") is sprouting and dividing like mad. The former Xenia,
> however, has become shrunken and no longer pulses. It opens up in the
> mornings, but just seems to float around in the current. It will
> contract if anything touches it, but it's pretty inactive these days,
> compared to its original behavior.
>
> I've gotten multiple conflicting advisories as to what to do about
> this, and wonder what anyone else with Xenias might have to offer?
>
> Both of them were purchased from the same store. They're placed about
> two inches from each other in my tank. We have PC lights, and fairly
> good water flow in their area. Our calcium is low - we're working to
> remedy that, slowly. Right now it's about 360. I've been adding trace
> minerals over the last couple weeks in the event that there may be
> something lacking along those lines. Otherwise we're just doing the
> weekly 20% water changes with salt mix.
>
> Some people say they don't like light, others say they want more. One
> will say they want vigorous water movement, another will say protect
> them from it. Maybe there's something in the way of direct feeding
> that they need? I'm pretty much at a loss, at this point. I'd really
> prefer not to kill this guy, I like him!
>
> Help!
>
> =^..^=
> ... the problem with people these days is that
> they've forgotten we're really just animals.

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