Pulsing Xenia, can it be controlled?

[Matthew Frost]

Dumb questuon, what about putting some stinging corals around your tank?

 

[lbacha]

I have Xenia in my sump I run a 200 micron filter pad after my display fuge so it would have to be a magician to make it into my display tank

 

[reef lover]

About what size rubble you using @reef lover ? I have someone that asked if I want some PomPom Xenia, just don't want it to take over and thought an island would work like for GSP

I buy it from bulk reef supply...called reef rubble range in size from a quarter to fist sized. As it grows I just add more rubble...then when I go to the lfs I trade it in...last time I got 190.00 in store credit..went home with a bunch of frags and only paid 30....

 

[dilligaf29]

10 years in and I haven’t had Xenia spread like wildfire.

I must be doing somethig wrong.

do u do water changes ? they love dirty water i havent done a water change in 16 months lol

 

[rkpetersen]

I think it all depends on how much time and effort you're willing to expend in sculpting it. It can be controlled somewhat, and even look very attractive, if you're diligent about pruning it back regularly. Xenia, both pulsing and nonpulsing varieties, are not as hard to remove intact as some people think; certainly not nearly as hard as removing bubble algae vesicles intact, for example. To remove a stand of xenia intact, you have to identify its base clearly, then put a quality forceps across the base right next to the rock. Hold firmly, give a twist and pull, and it will pop/peel off the rock. Lift it out of the water with the forceps, put it in a cup, and go back in for the next one. The larger the animal, the easier it is to remove; it's the tiny ones that are difficult, as they are very hard to get a good grip on even with a good forceps.

One caveat though is if xenia gets established underneath a forest of acropora, it will be pretty much impossible to remove with doing significant damage to your aquascape.

 

[mmw64]

10 years in and I haven’t had Xenia spread like wildfire.

I must be doing somethig wrong.

+1

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I'm just gonna set these here...

 

[Mike Goldstein]

I agree. I wish I could find something that would eat the Xenia that wont eat the Zoas. Xenia are weeds and will spread!! Dont not put these in your tak unless you really love these things they will take over your tank.

 

[KenO]

tell ur gf no. don't be like me and say ok lets get it before u know it bam it looks like my tank

A dose of fendbendazole will wipe out that Xenia in 24 hours.

 

[Mike Goldstein]

Its nice if you like Xenia. Throw a file fish in there. I hear they eat those ?

 

[rkpetersen]

I agree. I wish I could find something that would eat the Xenia that wont eat the Zoas. Xenia are weeds and will spread!! Dont not put these in your tak unless you really love these things they will take over your tank.

Pyramid Butterflyfish. Mine loved to chew Xenia down to nubbies, but wouldn't touch any other corals. It wouldn't actually eat the entire xenia stalk though; always a bit left, and that regrew when the fish was taken out of the system.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I buy it from bulk reef supply...called reef rubble range in size from a quarter to fist sized. As it grows I just add more rubble...then when I go to the lfs I trade it in...last time I got 190.00 in store credit..went home with a bunch of frags and only paid 30....

Whaaaaa!!!!!
I can’t get rid of mine.

They go in the herb garden.

 

[PghReef]

I kept pulsing xenia for about 6 years. Was my first frag for 8 bucks, only a few stalks. Kept it alive under a single t5 NO bulb until I bought reef lighting and then it started to grow. Never used skimmers or gfo and never had issues with nutrients the stuff is a sponge for nitrates. Once a month Id go into the tank with scissors and cut stalks off to keep them from spreading to far and the little bases left would grow new heads that Id remove the following month. I also used frogspawn, hammers, and elegance corals around to keep them from spreading past their borders. Worked great and was a beautiful mass of movement and nutrient export.

 

[PghReef]

 

[Mike Goldstein]

fendbendazole? what else will it wipe out?

 

[PghReef]

 

[Z3speed4me]

She made me get some pulsing 3 years ago now it’s stuck in both my tanks... kalk paste wiped out most of the stragglers but there are still a few here and there on some random rocks I am fighting to make go away

 

[KenO]

fendbendazole? what else will it wipe out?

Blue clove polyps and GSP

 

[KenO]

fendbendazole? what else will it wipe out?

I used the fendbendazole it wipe out my BCP. I removed my Xenia and GSP before treatment. What Xenia pieces I couldn't remove were dead within 24 hours.

 

[Chrispaul]

I've had it for a few year and never had a problem, it got so big then stopped!