Containable xenia-likes and things to contain them? Slow-growing versions?

[Tired]

My aquascape is all one big shape, with nowhere I could isolate a fast-growing coral like xenia, even without them dropping bits and spreading all over the tank. Now, I like the look of those tanks that are mostly just a mass of xenia and other softies, and I'm strongly considering going for something like that, but I do have one large rock that hosts a lot of cool animals (fanworms, tiny filter-feeding cucumbers, some clams), and I don't want them all getting overrun.

Is there some way to cover just a portion of my rockwork in a flowing soft coral, maybe caged in by aggressive stingers, without it escaping? Alternately, are there any relatively slow-growing corals I could put on the critter rock that would sting well enough and in a wide enough radius to keep everything back? I know xenia is resistant to stinging, but surely it's not immune.

Alternately, are there any xenia-like soft corals that grow slowly? Something that flows nicely in the current and doesn't go for chemical warfare like leathers do. Or are there any that only ever spread out in long, thin lines, leaving most of the rock surface open to the current to avoid smothering out the filter-feeders?
(I'm aware that I'm essentially describing macroalgaes here. I might take a swing at those instead.)

 

[p@blo]

Giant Bali Xenia grows like a toadstool and it will not spread like any other xenias

 

[TX_REEF]

Maybe you could have xenia and create a "fence" for it with torch and/or elegance corals? Those sting pretty hard and I doubt xenia would be able to get past them. I myself have a couple rocks placed in the sand away from the main structure for xenia and GSP

 

[Tired]

Giant Bali Xenia grows like a toadstool and it will not spread like any other xenias

Oo, I hadn't heard of this one. I'll have to keep an eye out for some of it.

I'm reading that ruby red xenia is a lot slower-growing and doesn't drop bits. Does anyone have experience with it?

 

[DanConnor]

In my experience, the ruby red xenia grows fast and sticks on everything- typical xenia problems. The giant however, is well behaved. I grew it for years right among my acropora and it never became a problem. I would however trim it back when it got too large.

 

[Neptune 555]

Giant Bali Xenia grows like a toadstool and it will not spread like any other xenias

Photo? I see a tons of different Xenia's available BUT have not seen or heard of this one? Don't want to be dupped twice.. I have already had a Xenia outbreak... honestly was not as bad as my BTA infestation right now. Much easier to remove Xenia...

 

[DanConnor]

I did a hard reboot on my display recently, and can't find any pics of it in the reef. Here's one I found but not sure how useful it is. Marine Farmers usually has it, or if you live in the northeast I bring it to shows.

 

[wmv]

Photo? I see a tons of different Xenia's available BUT have not seen or heard of this one? Don't want to be dupped twice.. I have already had a Xenia outbreak... honestly was not as bad as my BTA infestation right now. Much easier to remove Xenia...

I would do anything for a BTA infestation lol

 

[Neptune 555]

I did a hard reboot on my display recently, and can't find any pics of it in the reef. Here's one I found but not sure how useful it is. Marine Farmers usually has it, or if you live in the northeast I bring it to shows.

i do live in NorthEast... NH actually. Need any BTA's? We can do a trade?? And this is more containable? I love Xenia possibly b/c my infestation was YEARS ago... and I would welcome Xenia... does it pulse? does all xenia pulse?

 

[DanConnor]

I'll be next at Reefapalooza NY. Definitely containable and does pulse nicely. No BTA's needed

 

[Tub Life]

I did a hard reboot on my display recently, and can't find any pics of it in the reef. Here's one I found but not sure how useful it is. Marine Farmers usually has it, or if you live in the northeast I bring it to shows.

Does this one pulse?
Can you post a pic from further out? It looks like a large version of pom pom.
Amazing picture btw.

I'm too far to ask for a frag, but I have always liked all xenias. So just genuinely interested in it.

 

[DanConnor]

Here's the pic from marine farmers, where I got mine. Yes it pulses

 

[DanConnor]

By the way, I'm pretty sure this is Heteroxenia, as it has tiny polyps between the big ones

 

[Tub Life]

Here's the pic from marine farmers, where I got mine. Yes it pulses

Nice. Miss the old school elongata too!

 

[Ryebreadiest]

In my experience, the ruby red xenia grows fast and sticks on everything- typical xenia problems. The giant however, is well behaved. I grew it for years right among my acropora and it never became a problem. I would however trim it back when it got too large.

I’d agree, ruby red is slower growing than pulsing Xenia though and it grows in big, tall stalks that are much easier to remove. I have a piece that I’ve let get large and thetrim down to a few golf ball size pieces several times now. It’s not been an issue and I’ve yet to find it growing elsewhere in the tank. You can “prune” it more clearly unlike pulsing which sort of melts and then grows from frags that land in other parts.