Xenia coral dying?

[John A!10]

I have a Xenia coral that I bought around 3 weeks ago and it was doing good not really growing. Today I noticed that I just looked more open that their is more space between the polyps they also seem to be tipping to the side, yet they are not tipping over just leaning a bit. Is this normal? My nitrates are at 0, and I’m feeding a lot to raise them phosphate at 0.9. What could be the issue? My other corals are doing good.

 

[JGT]

I have a Xenia coral that I bought around 3 weeks ago and it was doing good not really growing. Today I noticed that I just looked more open that their is more space between the polyps they also seem to be tipping to the side, yet they are not tipping over just leaning a bit. Is this normal? My nitrates are at 0, and I’m feeding a lot to raise them phosphate at 0.9. What could be the issue? My other corals are doing good.

Pics would help.

 

[John A!10]

Pics would help.

Yup pics coming ASAP tomorrow.

 

[Uncle99]

Nitrates at Zero?
Thats not a good number for any coral but especially softies.
Your looking for 2-5ppm nitrate and 0.03-.1ppm phosphate or corals starve.

.9ppm in phosphate, are you kidding...must be typo....

 

[John A!10]

Nitrates at Zero?
Thats not a good number for any coral but especially softies.
Your looking for 2-5ppm nitrate and 0.03-.1ppm phosphate or corals starve.

.9ppm in phosphate, are you kidding...must be typo....

Sorry .09ppm phosphate. I just cut back a lot of chaeto. It was striping apart my nitrates at nearly zero. I’m over feeding now, what would you recommend to raise them?

 

[Uncle99]

I took my chaeto right off line, it was zeroing out nitrates no matter what I fed, it’s still off line for over a year and my nitrates run consistently 5ppm.

If that’s not an idea, stop your skimmer for a few days and retest.

You can dose Nitrate, but sometimes this leads to other issues.

0.09 phosphate is fine.

 

[John A!10]

I took my chaeto right off line, it was zeroing out nitrates no matter what I fed, it’s still off line for over a year and my nitrates run consistently 5ppm.

If that’s not an idea, stop your skimmer for a few days and retest.

You can dose Nitrate, but sometimes this leads to other issues.

0.09 phosphate is fine.

Taking chaeto of the line. How could I? Should I throw it away or can it stay alive in the freezer? I have it in one of the chambers.

 

[John A!10]

Pics:

 

[Sharkbait19]

Looks pretty normal to me. You sure it’s not just growing/spreading?

 

[John A!10]

Looks pretty normal to me. You sure it’s not just growing/spreading?

I feel like it was more dense when in first got it. Is it normal. That branch in the left back side seems to be tipping over. Could it be too much flow? They aren’t really pulsing more swaying.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I feel like it was more dense when in first got it. Is it normal. That branch in the left back side seems to be tipping over. Could it be too much flow? They aren’t really pulsing more swaying.

You can try moving it. The thing is, even if there is die off, it’s unlikely it will completely die. I had half of my Xenia colony die and melt away, and then in a month it tripled in size. I think there’s a “sweet spot” in params for Xenias that takes a few months to achieve.
Mine also stops pulsing from time to time.

I think it’s also worth noting that there is no known reason they do pulse, so likewise, we really don’t know what would cause it to start and stop, speed up and slow down.

 

[John A!10]

Branch tipping over

You can try moving it. The thing is, even if there is die off, it’s unlikely it will completely die. I had half of my Xenia colony die and melt away, and then in a month it tripled in size. I think there’s a “sweet spot” in params for Xenias that takes a few months to achieve.

would it do better in no flow? It is at medium low flow

 

[Sharkbait19]

Branch tipping over

would it do better in no flow? It is at medium low flow

I think they like medium flow the best. Here is a pic of mine to compare with yours. Mine has, though, looked just like yours in the past, but again, it has its good days and bad days.

 

[Uncle99]

Taking chaeto of the line. How could I? Should I throw it away or can it stay alive in the freezer? I have it in one of the chambers.

Nope, if you pull that, it’s toast.
The Xenia looks normal to me.
In a few months, you may wish it was not so bushy.

 

[Uncle99]

Branch tipping over

would it do better in no flow? It is at medium low flow

Nope, it does lousy in no flow, it should be “waving in the wind”.
I’d just let that stuff settle out, it would grow anywhere.

 

[John A!10]

To be honest I got Xenia as a starter coral I don’t care if it dies. My Xenia never pulsed, is it the type, flow or because my water is too clean. Even with the medium low flow it has now its not pulsing.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Mine usually doesn’t pulse when it doesn’t like something, be it lighting, flow, or nutrients. It will take time. It definitely isn’t dying, though.