Xenia removal

[iLMaRiO]

ok, i have an issue.
how can i remove a xenia that is growing too much?

 

[yanni]

I just cut it with a safety razor or scalpel. Does the trick, just needs to be pruned

 

[iLMaRiO]

I just cut it with a safety razor or scalpel. Does the trick, just needs to be pruned

and what about the cuts swimming around in the tank? i thing they grow even more like aiptasia

 

[SamMule]

Don't cut it. It will spread worse. Use forceps or something to get ahold of the base and try to peel it off slowly. Afterwards, cover the pruned area with glue or epoxy. You could run a small siphon hose nearby and try to suck out any loose pieces that fall off. Try to get as much as possible.

 

[yanni]

and what about the cuts swimming around in the tank? i thing they grow even more like aiptasia

Nah no where near. Xenia has a massive hatred against it, it’s a personal fav of mine. Beautiful to watch, nice colours, great for nutrient export and easy to harvest. Just give it a nice clean cut thru a stalk, preferably where it meets another stalk, and take it out. Will be perfectly fine, I never had mine just spawn everywhere like people claim. It’s not as bad, or even close as people claim to be. And if little stalks pop up, just cut em off

 

[SamMule]

Nah no where near. Xenia has a massive hatred against it, it’s a personal fav of mine. Beautiful to watch, nice colours, great for nutrient export and easy to harvest. Just give it a nice clean cut thru a stalk, preferably where it meets another stalk, and take it out. Will be perfectly fine, I never had mine just spawn everywhere like people claim. It’s not as bad, or even close as people claim to be. And if little stalks pop up, just cut em off

You're lucky then. Xenia is why my nano is coming down.

 

[yanni]

You're lucky then. Xenia is why my nano is coming down.

I’ve never had such luck with it, and never found it as invasive. Mine grows insanely quick, but frags cleanly. Have had one stalk for over a year now, and I just frag new growths off the one main stalk

 

[alton]

If you can pull the rock, place in R/O DI water and scrape the Xenia off. Then place the rock back in the tank. If it is on multiple rocks do a rock a week. When a friend bought the attached tank it took him a couple months and Xenia was gone.

 

[yanni]

Honestly cut it normally, see how you go, and then make a decision based on how you xenia reproduces. As long as you don’t let it get out of hand, it’s always manageable

 

[SamMule]

If you can pull the rock, place in R/O DI water and scrape the Xenia off. Then place the rock back in the tank. If it is on multiple rocks do a rock a week. When a friend bought the attached tank it took him a couple months and Xenia was gone.

That's a good idea. Once the little stalks start popping up everywhere if becomes a nightmare. I used to spend a couple of hours pruning every few weeks to try and knock it back until the rest of the tank grew in.

To be fair, I also had a colony of green pocillopora, which is also notoriously prolific, but never had an issue in 3 years.

 

[dedragon]

mine got out of hand as well. Using pukani rock with many many crevices and it is almost impossible to get out of areas cleanly. Major pita.

gonna take this weekend to try and get most of it out but i will inevitably will still end up with some staying around after. my bernardpora, torches, and anemones keep them in check on other rocks but my tank is sps dominant. Acros and montis cant really keep them at bay

 

[iLMaRiO]

I can't remove the rocks. Also, i don't want to kill the whole xenia, but just to remove in some points and slow down the grow.

I've placed xenia in a single rock and after 2-3 weeks it started to growing also in the opposite side of the tank, exactly where it should not go.

 

[yanni]

That's a good idea. Once the little stalks start popping up everywhere if becomes a nightmare. I used to spend a couple of hours pruning every few weeks to try and knock it back until the rest of the tank grew in.

To be fair, I also had a colony of green pocillopora, which is also notoriously prolific, but never had an issue in 3 years.

Unrelated, but that RFA is insane holy ****, it’s HUGE. Big props

 

[vetteguy53081]

While I welcome xenia in my tanks, never had it go wildfire. Cant say the same regarding Kenyii tree coral

 

[Dan_P]

ok, i have an issue.
how can i remove a xenia that is growing too much?

Love Xenia. This is the ”before” picture (75 gallons) before rehoming about half of them. The Chromis like to lurk and sleep amongst the Xenias.

I gave them to a LFS if they agreed to picked them up. They were happy to use a razor to peel them off the rocks they were on, but I just gave them the rocks with Xenia and let them do their surgery out of sight :)

 

[bnord]

Every tank is different clearly. - i can keep Xenia under control, and have to every 2 months or so with a long nosed pair of forceps grabbing close to base and gently turning it till it loosens.
My plague however, is clove polyp (that i did not add) which is too flimsy for the above mentioned technique, and have had to take rocks out and place them in the sun
And i have the same sprig of Kenya that has not grown and sits in its place for 3 years.
Horses for courses and corals for tanks

 

[brandon429]

The cuts don't reproduce like aips

When they used to fill up my reef vase I inserted scissors, snipped off 3/4 of the pulsing head and tossed out the cut. Within two months it was back to norm/ repeat

 

[SamMule]

Unrelated, but that RFA is insane holy ****, it’s HUGE. Big props

Yeah, it's a monster haha. Just moved over to my new 75. Hopefully it stays happey. Got a lot of food sitting in that spot.


Yes, everyone's experience is different. Part of what makes this hobby so interesting!

 

[iLMaRiO]

The cuts don't reproduce like aips

When they used to fill up my reef vase I inserted scissors, snipped off 3/4 of the pulsing head and tossed out the cut. Within two months it was back to norm/ repeat

the problem is that im unable to catch all cuts, some are still moving in the water colum. i use a net to catch them but not everything

 

[brandon429]

Oh ha that's awesome they might implant. They're so cool in motion I've never seen a tank grow that degree of them Dan posted, that must have looked mesmerizing