Pulsing Xenia not doing good.

[pseudodiego]

Hi everyone.

I have a reef tank with some Xenia among other corals like GSP, Montipora digitata, Acans, Euphyllia etc. Everything is doing good except Xenia.

The tank is about 9 months old. The first months the Xenia was growing and pulsing like crazy, almost covering the rock it was in in just a couple months, but then one day it just stopped, without any change at all to the tank. Now it pulses very weakly, it is semi closed all the time and isn't growing at all, in fact I think it is getting smaller.

Currently phosfates are at 0.16 and Nitrates at 8.3. I dose Iodine weekly after reading that it might be the cause, but after a month of dosing I noticed no change at all.

Any idea what the problem might be?

thanks.

 

[Dan_P]

Hi everyone.

I have a reef tank with some Xenia among other corals like GSP, Montipora digitata, Acans, Euphyllia etc. Everything is doing good except Xenia.

The tank is about 9 months old. The first months the Xenia was growing and pulsing like crazy, almost covering the rock it was in in just a couple months, but then one day it just stopped, without any change at all to the tank. Now it pulses very weakly, it is semi closed all the time and isn't growing at all, in fact I think it is getting smaller.

Currently phosfates are at 0.16 and Nitrates at 8.3. I dose Iodine weekly after reading that it might be the cause, but after a month of dosing I noticed no change at all.

Any idea what the problem might be?

thanks.

Is it possible the aquarium is too clean? Trace elements depleted?

In my case, Xenia growth went wild after I started dosing trace elements to support macro algae growth.

 

[pseudodiego]

Is it possible the aquarium is too clean? Trace elements depleted?

In my case, Xenia growth went wild after I started dosing trace elements to support macro algae growth.

I'm already dosing Iodine, and I think there isn't so much corals for the Trace element to get depleted. I'm doing weekly 10% water changes.

About the tank being too clean, it might be possible. I think I'm going to put the Xenia into a container with a small pump and drop some waste from the skimmer into it. If it kills it so be it.

 

[Dan_P]

I'm already dosing Iodine, and I think there isn't so much corals for the Trace element to get depleted. I'm doing weekly 10% water changes.

About the tank being too clean, it might be possible. I think I'm going to put the Xenia into a container with a small pump and drop some waste from the skimmer into it. If it kills it so be it.

Before doing nutrition experiments, try moving the Xenia to darker location. They thrive in low to medium light which is what I have and they have covered a 75 gallon tank twice now. Oh yeah, they pulse all the time.

 

[DanyL]

Before doing nutrition experiments, try moving the Xenia to darker location. They thrive in low to medium light which is what I have and they have covered a 75 gallon tank twice now. Oh yeah, they pulse all the time.

That’s a good advice.
I would also try to rule out any possible coral nippers.

 

[pseudodiego]

That’s a good advice.
I would also try to rule out any possible coral nippers.

Currently I just have those:

-2 clownfish
-1 purple firefish and 1 red firefish
-1 Yellow Watchman Goby.
-1 Mandarin dragonet
-5 Trochus Snails
-1 Strawberry conch
-3 Turbo Snails
-5 Nassarius Snail
-2 skunk cleaner

I think none of those are coral nippers.

I don't think it is a light problem either, it is currently at the bottom of the tank in a rock, exactly where it was while it was thriving with the same light, I tried moving it for a week higher in the tank but there wasn't any change.

Maybe is the specimen? Would it do any good to buy another frag from a different store?

 

[Dan_P]

I tried moving it for a week higher in the tank but there wasn't any change.

Moving it higher in the tank is the wrong direction If it is receiving too much light.

 

[pseudodiego]

Moving it higher in the tank is the wrong direction If it is receiving too much light.

It was actively pulsing and growing with the exact same light in the exact same position for close to three months. Why would suddenly begin to dislike that light? I changed nothing about it.

 

[Dan_P]

It was actively pulsing and growing with the exact same light in the exact same position for close to three months. Why would suddenly begin to dislike that light? I changed nothing about it.

Over the last three months the water might have become cleaner, less colored, allowing more light to pass through the water. You could easily miss this.

Also, trace elements are possibly being consumed faster now that the other livestock is growing. Current replenishment rate might not be sufficient.

Post a picture of your aquarium. Maybe the readers will give you more ideas.

 

[DanyL]

Currently I just have those:

-2 clownfish
-1 purple firefish and 1 red firefish
-1 Yellow Watchman Goby.
-1 Mandarin dragonet
-5 Trochus Snails
-1 Strawberry conch
-3 Turbo Snails
-5 Nassarius Snail
-2 skunk cleaner

I think none of those are coral nippers.

I don't think it is a light problem either, it is currently at the bottom of the tank in a rock, exactly where it was while it was thriving with the same light, I tried moving it for a week higher in the tank but there wasn't any change.

Maybe is the specimen? Would it do any good to buy another frag from a different store?

None of your known inhabitants should nip it, indeed. If you started with live rocks it is possible for a crab to hitchhike, that’s another option.

A week is usually not enough to determine wether a change worked or not, I wouldn’t come to conclusions in less than a month - unless it is noticeably worsening the situation.

Like Dan suggested - it could possibly be too much light, even if it once did well on this spot. Xenia doesn’t need much light to thrive from my experience.

Trace element depletion is possible, though with weekly 10% WC and a low bio load it shouldn’t be significant in my opinion, but I could be wrong.
I suggest doing a big water change of 25 to 30 percent just in case it is, it’ll also reduce possible toxins found in your water.

 

[pseudodiego]

None of your known inhabitants should nip it, indeed. If you started with live rocks it is possible for a crab to hitchhike, that’s another option.

A week is usually not enough to determine wether a change worked or not, I wouldn’t come to conclusions in less than a month - unless it is noticeably worsening the situation.

Like Dan suggested - it could possibly be too much light, even if it once did well on this spot. Xenia doesn’t need much light to thrive from my experience.

Trace element depletion is possible, though with weekly 10% WC and a low bio load it shouldn’t be significant in my opinion, but I could be wrong.
I suggest doing a big water change of 25 to 30 percent just in case it is, it’ll also reduce possible toxins found in your water.

I didn't started with live rock.

This week I'm moving everything from a 30 gallon tank to an 80 gallon tank. I'll see how it fares in the new tank with all that new water. The tank is higher, so it should recieve less light too, being at the bottom.

 

[twentyleagues]

I dont know why no one is wondering or asking what are your other parameters? If you are dosing iodine what was your iodine level and what is it now? or how much did you dose? Back in my previous reef life my nitrates and phosphates would be on the higher end like 25 and .2. I had xenia in my display fuge and it was everywhere. Then the uln fad started. I started using biopellets and increased my skimming and kept the lights on the fuge longer. I got my nitrate below 10 and po4 down below .1. This took a little over a year. The first thing to happen was the xenia started to die off. The euphillia started to change too instead of shorter fatter "tentacles" they got longer and thinner, still looked good and still grew just looked different. The sps which I had to really start liking started getting those sought after "pastel" colors. With in 6 months I was tired of the look of most of my corals at lower nutrients so I slowly removed the biopellets and got my numbers back up a bit nitrate 15-20 and po4 between .12-.18. Stuff started looking normal again (back to what it was 2 yrs before) and the couple little xenia polyps that had survived started multiplying again. Then I sold everything. lol

I am not saying those numbers are a must have to grow xenia or that you should change your tanks parameters. If everything else looks good at your current params dont go changing stuff to accommodate one coral. Some people can not grow xenia and others cant get rid of it. I changed my parameters to get the super cool colors out of acros. I realized I really am not that much of a stick guy, they are cool but I like more movement and being able to interact (feed) my corals. I do love me some fuzzy millies though.

 

[pseudodiego]

I dont know why no one is wondering or asking what are your other parameters? If you are dosing iodine what was your iodine level and what is it now? or how much did you dose? Back in my previous reef life my nitrates and phosphates would be on the higher end like 25 and .2. I had xenia in my display fuge and it was everywhere. Then the uln fad started. I started using biopellets and increased my skimming and kept the lights on the fuge longer. I got my nitrate below 10 and po4 down below .1. This took a little over a year. The first thing to happen was the xenia started to die off. The euphillia started to change too instead of shorter fatter "tentacles" they got longer and thinner, still looked good and still grew just looked different. The sps which I had to really start liking started getting those sought after "pastel" colors. With in 6 months I was tired of the look of most of my corals at lower nutrients so I slowly removed the biopellets and got my numbers back up a bit nitrate 15-20 and po4 between .12-.18. Stuff started looking normal again (back to what it was 2 yrs before) and the couple little xenia polyps that had survived started multiplying again. Then I sold everything. lol

I am not saying those numbers are a must have to grow xenia or that you should change your tanks parameters. If everything else looks good at your current params dont go changing stuff to accommodate one coral. Some people can not grow xenia and others cant get rid of it. I changed my parameters to get the super cool colors out of acros. I realized I really am not that much of a stick guy, they are cool but I like more movement and being able to interact (feed) my corals. I do love me some fuzzy millies though.

Yeah I'm not changing the tank just to accomodate Xenia. If the solution is more nutrients or reducing the light, I'll just let it die, as I appreciate my other corals way more, and curringly they are doing great.

About Iodine, I have no idea what the level are, I just added one drop per week for a month to check if there was any visual improvement. Frankly, I didn't wanted to invest in a Iodine test just for this one coral. I buyed the Iodine because it was really cheap.

 

[DanyL]

I dont know why no one is wondering or asking what are your other parameters? If you are dosing iodine what was your iodine level and what is it now? or how much did you dose? Back in my previous reef life my nitrates and phosphates would be on the higher end like 25 and .2. I had xenia in my display fuge and it was everywhere. Then the uln fad started. I started using biopellets and increased my skimming and kept the lights on the fuge longer. I got my nitrate below 10 and po4 down below .1. This took a little over a year. The first thing to happen was the xenia started to die off. The euphillia started to change too instead of shorter fatter "tentacles" they got longer and thinner, still looked good and still grew just looked different. The sps which I had to really start liking started getting those sought after "pastel" colors. With in 6 months I was tired of the look of most of my corals at lower nutrients so I slowly removed the biopellets and got my numbers back up a bit nitrate 15-20 and po4 between .12-.18. Stuff started looking normal again (back to what it was 2 yrs before) and the couple little xenia polyps that had survived started multiplying again. Then I sold everything. lol

I am not saying those numbers are a must have to grow xenia or that you should change your tanks parameters. If everything else looks good at your current params dont go changing stuff to accommodate one coral. Some people can not grow xenia and others cant get rid of it. I changed my parameters to get the super cool colors out of acros. I realized I really am not that much of a stick guy, they are cool but I like more movement and being able to interact (feed) my corals. I do love me some fuzzy millies though.

He did mention his nutrient levels, they aren’t low nor too high.

Alk, Ca and Mag aren’t a concern here either - especially when he does have LPS and SPS doing just fine.

Iodine if too high would mostly affect SPS, rather then the rest of his corals.

 

[twentyleagues]

He did mention his nutrient levels, they aren’t low nor too high.

Alk, Ca and Mag aren’t a concern here either - especially when he does have LPS and SPS doing just fine.

Iodine if too high would mostly affect SPS, rather then the rest of his corals.

You are probably right based on the other corals but other corals can handle higher alk and mag which could affect other soft corals.

 

[DanyL]

You are probably right based on the other corals but other corals can handle higher alk and mag which could affect other soft corals.

TBH I’ve never heard of Xenia or softies in general having problems with higher Alk or Mag values before, nor is with a higher Ca value.

Of course if it’s crazy high, then sure - it may pose a problem, but like I mentioned earlier we do know they’re within their acceptable ranges through the condition of his other stony corals.

 

[pseudodiego]

I added a new frag four days ago and it's open and pulxing for now, contrary to the old Xenia

New:

Old:

This discard the light being the problem, no?

 

[twentyleagues]

I added a new frag four days ago and it's open and pulxing for now, contrary to the old Xenia

New:

Old:

This discard the light being the problem, no?

Well if flow and lighting are the same in this spot then in however long it took the other frag to start acting different we will know if this one doesn't. Have you passed that time threshold yet?

 

[pseudodiego]

Well if flow and lighting are the same in this spot then in however long it took the other frag to start acting different we will know if this one doesn't. Have you passed that time threshold yet?

The first one was fine for a couple months, this one have just been in for 4 days.

 

[twentyleagues]

The first one was fine for a couple months, this one have just been in for 4 days.

Time will tell then.