Xenias

[JetStarheart]

Not sure if this is where they belong and sorry if not.. How long does it take for these guys to acclimate? Te star heads on mine are not full and snapping like thy were at the store. But the bases are full and upright.. I am new to corals. LOVE. xenias and want to make a "tank " of them.. What do you all recommend for additives and feedig?/

 

[JetStarheart]

Thank you for moving to the correct area.. :)

 

[revsgirl]

Bump


Chasing the Dream Giver, not the dream! Tonya

 

[joshporksandwich]

Try adding a few drops of lugols iodine. You dont have to feed them. Fish poop will be enough. They like strong light and flow also.

 

[JetStarheart]

Wheredo I find this? None of the stores around me carry lugols.. Just reg iodine..

 

[trickedout900]

As suggested higher water flow and bright light. They seem to enjoy a less than perfect water tank also. I just do normal water changes and seldom add anything to my tank and they grow like weeds. I also noticed you are from Indiana...what part? I'm in Ft Wayne.

 

[navila06]

they never last longer than a few weeks in my tank.

 

[eliramos]

what kindve lighting, flow, parameters? mine are doing really well (knock on wood) i add just regular idonine after every water change, use mh lighting, and have a moderate flow. if your flow is too high they will stop pulsing. if you just moved them from the store put them on the bottom of your tank so they can slowly get used to the lighting.

 

[JetStarheart]

I am in valparaiso i bought a t5ho light with a timer.. My tank has high phosphates.. And flow is marginal to high near their perch.. I have 2 HOT filter, skimmer and now a UV sterilizer.. I had to move mine off the bottom as they started folding over. I put them halfway up and that didnt help either.. Im at a loss..

 

[MaliciousRob]

As suggested higher water flow and bright light. They seem to enjoy a less than perfect water tank also. I just do normal water changes and seldom add anything to my tank and they grow like weeds. I also noticed you are from Indiana...what part? I'm in Ft Wayne.

I would disagree with the first statement in this post. Xenias do better with low flow. Most people assume the "pulsing" is a feeding action. It is not. In the ocean they are found in low flow area. The pulsing is their way to create flow around themselves. They do like higher light levels and dirtier water so to speak. They are the easiest corals to keep IMO. I once kept a seahorse tank with xenias. I was constantly having to cut stalks down. They were even growing on the glass.

 

[eliramos]

I would disagree with the first statement in this post. Xenias do better with low flow. Most people assume the "pulsing" is a feeding action. It is not. In the ocean they are found in low flow area. The pulsing is their way to create flow around themselves. They do like higher light levels and dirtier water so to speak. They are the easiest corals to keep IMO. I once kept a seahorse tank with xenias. I was constantly having to cut stalks down. They were even growing on the glass.

Agreed! You gotta kill those phosphates btw!


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[trickedout900]

I would disagree with the first statement in this post. Xenias do better with low flow. Most people assume the "pulsing" is a feeding action. It is not. In the ocean they are found in low flow area. The pulsing is their way to create flow around themselves. They do like higher light levels and dirtier water so to speak. They are the easiest corals to keep IMO. I once kept a seahorse tank with xenias. I was constantly having to cut stalks down. They were even growing on the glass.

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Good point, some of the ones that I have climbed to the top of the rock directly under a power head and stay fairly short and tightly packed but the flow is high at that point and they stay there. Those do not pulse nearly as well as the ones that are lower on the rock. I never really thought of it that way. My phospahates are fairly low and I started with about 5 stalks, fragged a few of them and the nature took over. I now have about 150 to 200 stalks and they are all over my tank. They make themselves at home. Also I am running Nova A6 led's about ten inches above tank. The Xenias are at various heights throughout the tank.

 

[karenvas2]

Four months ago. Picked up one t PETCO. Needless to say, did not have high hopes. It is doing great, in fact, they grow so fast it's amazing. I have mine in high light, high flow next to circulation pumps. Just make sure to glue down because they grow anyway that the plug faces. The dirtier the water they more they grow. Also, it took time to open and start pulsing. Give it time.

 

[JetStarheart]

Killing the phosphates is easier said than done..:/ I have literally done a complete water change and they are STILL high.. And they are at 0 out f the tap..i really do love/enjoy the xenias and hope you are all right! In OK with them overgrowing!! :) mine are currently at the tip if my sterilizer by my penguine overflow.. They are not doing much kinda just hangin in there.. No movement no pulsing but the stalks are standing upright mostly. I am having HUGE problems with this tank currently. And dont know what to do or where to go from here..

 

[eliramos]

Killing the phosphates is easier said than done..:/ I have literally done a complete water change and they are STILL high.. And they are at 0 out f the tap..i really do love/enjoy the xenias and hope you are all right! In OK with them overgrowing!! :) mine are currently at the tip if my sterilizer by my penguine overflow.. They are not doing much kinda just hangin in there.. No movement no pulsing but the stalks are standing upright mostly. I am having HUGE problems with this tank currently. And dont know what to do or where to go from here..

i feel ya man, when i first started keeping xenias, it was one melting away after another, and i couldnt figure out why. could you post a pic of your set up? im using mh lighting, 2 powerheads 2 waterchanges a week with the stock bicoube protein skimmer, and they are doing amazing along with my other corals. my old setup couldnt handle anything.

 

[eliramos]

i feel ya man, when i first started keeping xenias, it was one melting away after another, and i couldnt figure out why. could you post a pic of your set up? im using mh lighting, 2 powerheads 2 waterchanges a week with the stock bicoube protein skimmer, and they are doing amazing along with my other corals. my old setup couldnt handle anything.

rewind!!! youre using tap water??!?!?

 

[oceanparadise1]

That's problem one if your using tap water. Get an ro unit asp


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[JetStarheart]

I have always used tap water.. It tests clean. 0phosphates 0 nitrates 7.9 pH

 

[JetStarheart]

. Picture from tonite as requested..

 

[trickedout900]

What Salt are you using? Are you mixing it outside the tank before you change the water or changing water and dumping salt in tank? From the looks of your picture you are just starting out, not bashing so please do not be offended. You at least got onto the forum and there is a lot of help here. Personally I think you need to slow down a bit and do some more research before adding anything else. The fish you have in there are not cheap and poor practices will cost you a ton of money. We all have to start somewhere but I hate to see anyone throw money away. As suggested it would be wise to use RO water instead of tap but this is debatable. Your skimmer does not appear to be running, reason? Also it would be helpful to tell them how long the tank has been and such. Personally I never do more than a 10% water change at any given time. How often are you feeding? How much? For the health of the fish keep your head up and read, read, read! Forums can be brutal but there are a ton of people who want to see you succeed. Just my 2C