First Frag

[henryhahn]

I am always checking out frags when I go to stores, but can never seem to justify the expense with all my other necessary expenditures. Yesterday, while at the LFS, the employee snapped off a small frag (about the size of a quarter) of pulsing xenia for $10 and I was ECSTATIC. $10 I can do...especially for one that I really like.
Brought it home, used Fusion 1 and 2 (about an hour in-between each and on opposite sides of the tank to be sure they didn't combine) and it perked up and seemed happy.

Night came in the tank, off went the t5's, and the xenia closed up.
The problem being, it hasn't reopened. Here is what it looks like today.

I brought a sample of my water over to be tested just in case I am missing something. It tested in ideal on all specs. I changed the position because I have read it may be happier lower in the tank. I am reading that there are some xenia that won't take in some tanks for no evident reason, but I am wondering if there is anything I can do for this beautiful coral? I've read a few different possibilities, but I don't want to keep stressing the poor thing out unnecessarily. Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[bmitchell138]

How much flow is it getting? Also it may be retracted because it's not used to your lighting. I would give a couple of days to adjust to your system.

 

[Peter Dietz]

Be careful with this coral. it will over take you tank if not trimmed up.

 

[henryhahn]

How much flow is it getting? Also it may be retracted because it's not used to your lighting. I would give a couple of days to adjust to your system.

When it was open, it was close enough to my pump to wave a bit, but not direct flow or anything. Now that I moved it, I am not 100% because it hasn't opened yet to see how the flow is.
I am SOOOO glad you said about acclimation, I was hoping that was all it was! I was so happy to score it, and it would break my heart to lose it. Hopefully it recovers soon and I can move it back to the rock where I want it. 2 days should be good?

 

[henryhahn]

Be careful with this coral. it will over take you tank if not trimmed up.

Thank for the head's up. I am aware. I love these and zoanthids, which I realize is another coral that will try to take the tank. <3 duncans too, thankfully I think those are less apt to spread like these.

 

[zflugun]

Very nice [emoji106] I got one of those for about the same price gotta get them when they're small I paid under 10 for all 4 of my corals at my lfs

 

[sbash]

Nice! I am a big fan of the pulsing xenia as well. I picked up a similar size frag about 9 months ago, put it on an 'island' and it took over in a few months. It looks amazing with big colony all flowing and pulsing...

 

[mookinpie]

. To late it took over mine and it's hard to get it out [emoji82]

 

[mookinpie]

You can have all mine free come trim it for me

 

[henryhahn]

Very nice [emoji106] I got one of those for about the same price gotta get them when they're small I paid under 10 for all 4 of my corals at my lfs

Wow! Really? I haven't seen any under $20 here before, and the $20 ones are so small...I wonder if they'd survive.

 

[henryhahn]

Nice! I am a big fan of the pulsing xenia as well. I picked up a similar size frag about 9 months ago, put it on an 'island' and it took over in a few months. It looks amazing with big colony all flowing and pulsing...

Neat! That much growth in 9 months? Do you cut it back at all? Any chance of a pic?

 

[henryhahn]

. To late it took over mine and it's hard to get it out [emoji82]

Wow! How cool is that when it's pulsing?

 

[henryhahn]

You can have all mine free come trim it for me

Haha! I live in Northern NJ, you have a deal if you're close!

 

[mookinpie]

I live in Oregon [emoji30] yeah it's pretty cool when they pulse I do like that part but my wave maker keeps chewing the ones that float off the rock..

 

[henryhahn]

I live in Oregon [emoji30] yeah it's pretty cool when they pulse I do like that part but my wave maker keeps chewing the ones that float off the rock..

Dang. I can't ever seem to find local fish friends. lol
I imagine there are many out there cutting these back and cutting back zoas.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

lol.
Check your No and Po, thats usually why the dont do well in some tanks. they like the water a little dirty. And Id bet is light shock. prob more in your tank than the LFS, they like to acclimate, but will take high light

 

[henryhahn]

lol.
Check your No and Po, thats usually why the dont do well in some tanks. they like the water a little dirty. And Id bet is light shock. prob more in your tank than the LFS, they like to acclimate, but will take high light

I don't know what No and Po stand for :'(
Someone also said that it may be that the tank is too clean...so frustrating....
PH 8.2ish (dang colors)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Alkalinity 180-300 (done with a test strip, was in ideal range. little darker than 180, but not quite as dark as 300)

 

[henryhahn]

Also, the coral is now open-ish (not pulsing and happy, but not fully closed) at lunch when I come home to check the tank and feed the fish. At that point, the lights have been on for less than an hour. When I get home from work, however, it's back to being closed. I'm hoping it's still adjusting...
The guy at the LFS indicated that he felt my lighting was overboard....
I am running 2x 10000K and 2x Actinic 460nm lamps over my 55 gallon tank

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

Be careful with this coral. it will over take you tank if not trimmed up.

I've have pulsing Xenia that started as three and is maybe twenty about two years later. I must have got lucky.

Mine were acting weird a few weeks back. Staying mostly closed, not pulsing so much when open. I thought it was going to die and then it suddenly perked up and looks normal again now. Probably no help there, but these are pretty bullet-proof, so it could be the lighting.

 

[zflugun]

Wow! Really? I haven't seen any under $20 here before, and the $20 ones are so small...I wonder if they'd survive.

Yep all 10 or under