Pulsing Xenia, all other things aside it is a very pretty coral?!

[najer]

Excuse the colours (England) it is under old leds, you have to admit it is a very pretty coral!

Oh and a thought, a weed in your garden is just a wild flower in the wrong place, I am growing this out for a reason, research your corals people, this is great nutrient export!

 

[Mike N]

I have thought about this before, but xenia seems to grow much slower than chaeto or caulerpa. Is that perception wrong?
Seems like it wouldn't be capable of removing nutrients quickly with slower growth.

 

[blasterman]

Xenia is better looking than a lot of other corals others think are great but I dont get the attraction; leathers, etc.

It's a great nitrate eater, and while it can grow fast Xenia doesnt engage in biological warfare.

Removing it also doesnt cause major tank disruptions like macros.

 

[najer]

I have thought about this before, but xenia seems to grow much slower than chaeto or caulerpa. Is that perception wrong?
Seems like it wouldn't be capable of removing nutrients quickly with slower growth.

Macros are better, I have an Evo 13.5 tank that this is going into to help with nutrient export, it gets fed a lot!

 

[danieyella]

I don't know why, but xenia is the one softy I simply cannot grow.... Love them, but can't grow them.

 

[LegendaryCG]

I don't know why, but xenia is the one softy I simply cannot grow.... Love them, but can't grow them.

gsp doesnt do well for me but xenia and antheylia grow like nuts

 

[WVNed]

Someone on here said you aren't a serious reef keeper if you have xenia.
I am totally not serious.

It was 70 dollars a stalk at the LFS so I figure this is about $100,000 worth.
I like watching the eels glide over it.

 

[SPR1968]

It’s one of my favourite corals, a stunning coral to look at and it provides great movement in any reef.

Unfortunately there a big but....

I would love to put some in my new system, and nearly did but the potential to spread everywhere is just to risky

 

[AquaholicAquariums]

My small Cube at home got velvet, removed everything out of the tank and 1/4 inch piece of Xenia covered a caribsea arch (8inches) within a month with my radions off! I stay away just because of that lol

 

[najer]

It’s one of my favourite corals, a stunning coral to look at and it provides great movement in any reef.

Unfortunately there a big but....

I would love to put some in my new system, and nearly did but the potential to spread everywhere is just to risky

Note to self, sneak a frag in when he invites you to a post covid bbq and tick up!

 

[Mark Bradley]

I love my Xenia - it was actually the first coral I put in my tank Christmas just gone. Following advice, on this forum, I have already pruned it and will continue to do so - I would miss the pulsing too much to get rid of it completely. Especially as I can manage it via maintenance - so long as my urchins don’t fight against me and drag it all over the place!

 

[andrewkw]

Someone on here said you aren't a serious reef keeper if you have xenia.
I am totally not serious.

It was 70 dollars a stalk at the LFS so I figure this is about $100,000 worth.
I like watching the eels glide over it.

I don't know how many hundreds of different corals I've had over the years. I got pom pom xenia back in 2006 as one of my first corals and I'm still not tired of watching it pulse. I actually do prefer cespitularia as an even higher coral on my all time great list.

 

[najer]

I don't know how many hundreds of different corals I've had over the years. I got pom pom xenia back in 2006 as one of my first corals and I'm still not tired of watching it pulse. I actually do prefer cespitularia as an even higher coral on my all time great list.

Don't make me show you the blue one!

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

 

[Kehy]

I would love to do a large jar/ small tank sized pico featuring it. Small, because I have literally no space for more tanks

 

[Copingwithpods]

It is a beautiful coral

Until you start seeing it pop up everywhere

Then you go and pull it out and the more you pull it out the more the polyps bail out and the more you spread it around.

I used to like it, still do, I don't hate it now I just want it gone.

 

[joe2]

I would gladly let Xenia overtake my tank if they were sure to always keep pulsing...but the little jerks stop mysteriously for no reason and then often never start back up. People debate...is there too much flow, not enough...too low iodine? there's a million reasons but these corals are the least understood of our entire hobby. Also for nutrient export they might equal macro algae...but if Xenia crash they dump nutrients faster than a crashing algae and that can be a problem.

 

[Copingwithpods]

I would gladly let Xenia overtake my tank if they were sure to always keep pulsing...but the little ******** stop mysteriously for no reason and then often never start back up. People debate...is there too much flow, not enough...too low iodine? there's a million reasons but these corals are the least understood of our entire hobby. Also for nutrient export they might equal macro algae...but if Xenia crash they dump nutrients faster than a crashing algae and that can be a problem.

I don't think they can equal macro algae or even come close, if they did people would be Dumping fistfuls of it away every few days, which they don't. Most misunderstood? I think you are giving dandelions too much credit.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I don't think they can equal macro algae or even come close, if they did people would be Dumping fistfuls of it away every few days, which they don't. Most misunderstood? I think you are giving dandelions too much credit.

I have to harvest (trim back with a sharp scissors) my Xenia at least monthly. But the chaeto is more like every two weeks.

 

[User1]

Someone was saying that Xenia is the best selling coral. At least as far as their sales and business goes. I think it was Tan (I forget his name, I'm sorry) of Tidal Gardens. I like it but it is a bit invasive. I actually believe my rose bubble tip anemone are worse. I wish I never introduced one.