Can't get Xenia happy! Help.

Scungili · 06/14/2009, 11:51 AM

I have a very new 180gal tank with a low nutrient level. Yes it's cycled, water has been tested by LFS and myself and all is perfect as can be.

I acclimated my xenia from my old tank where it was never 100% but ok.

I've read that they require high light and low flow.

I placed it in the middle of the water column under direct lighting approx 25"-30" under a 250MH. It seemed to be waking up from being acclimated and handled. All looked well...

Then I did a water change of only about 20gal and I upped the salt from 1.021 to 1.025.

My SPS corals are doing great, my mushroom coral is doing good, but the xenia started to shrink.

I was afraid, like my mushroom, that it had too much light. So after several hours, I decided to move it toward the center of the tank where light is more diffused. After about 18hrs, it's doing much worse.

I've read more and all that have them say High light, Low Flow.

I went for the gusto and put it under the MH at the top of the tank, about 20" under lamp. It's puckering up even worse!

I don't want to keep moving it, but I have no idea what happened or what to do.

COuld it be the low nutrient levels? I know they like a slightly dirty tank, but I've read that far more important is Light. I have plenty of light, and water quality is great. Like I said, my other corals are happy. As for flow, my tank has very diffused flow, but a high turnover, so I know I'm good there.

Can someone shed some light on this???

jmoney · 06/14/2009, 12:44 PM

xenia is one of those things that can just fail for reasons unknown, what started to bring mine back was lugols solution, 1 drop per 25 gallons once a week. I mixed it into a glass of tank water and gently blew i all over the xenia with a turkey baster.

nick063 · 06/14/2009, 01:06 PM

hmm i have had the same problems with xenia, i believe i had a problem with light acclimation, how long did you leave it under your light the first time?

Ps what area in st.pete are you from? i'm originally from there

benr · 06/14/2009, 01:13 PM

I've always had problems with xenia in the summer time, they multiply like rabbits all year long and then for whatever reason they just start melting away, loosing their head and fall apart within a couple of days. Maybe temperature related? check to see if the temp in your new tank is higher than you old one. Also bringing salt level up that fast could shock them. I've also heard that the Iodine helps, maybe a dip could bring them back.

LauraCline · 06/14/2009, 02:38 PM

I was told Xenias don't like water hotter than about 78-79 F and also like a little bit of iodine.

Scungili · 06/14/2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by benr
I've always had problems with xenia in the summer time, they multiply like rabbits all year long and then for whatever reason they just start melting away, loosing their head and fall apart within a couple of days. Maybe temperature related? check to see if the temp in your new tank is higher than you old one. Also bringing salt level up that fast could shock them. I've also heard that the Iodine helps, maybe a dip could bring them back.

I also think it was salt shock. That's exactly when it started to pucker. I would think by now it would have acclimated. THe other corals recovered quickly. I'm going to move it to partial shade and be done with it. It has been in total sun today and looks worse. I don't want to keep moving it, so I will move it to a shady area (I haven't tried this yet) and wait...

I also heard about the iodine. I will look into this.

Temp is 78, the hardness KH is high around 200 I wonder...

50hexman · 06/14/2009, 07:42 PM

I use DR.G'S iodide and it says needed for Xenias.... Check and dose let us know!

es1887 · 06/14/2009, 07:57 PM

iodine is easily replaced with water changes. as long as you do it once a week or so you should be fine. i have had my colony for years and they have grown out of control. i have never added iodine to my tank, i just do a water change once a week. i did how ever just start using ro di water and my colony is slowly wilting away. i think that they like to be in a "dirty" tank.

Scungili · 06/14/2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by es1887
iodine is easily replaced with water changes. as long as you do it once a week or so you should be fine. i have had my colony for years and they have grown out of control. i have never added iodine to my tank, i just do a water change once a week. i did how ever just start using ro di water and my colony is slowly wilting away. i think that they like to be in a "dirty" tank.

This was my fear before I put it in my reef tank. The previous tank I has it in, is a dirty tank. I bet this is the reason. I only went ahead and made the change because I heard people talking only about light and not so much nutrients.

es1887 · 06/14/2009, 08:38 PM

the colony in my tank goes from top to bottom and they all were really healthy. i did not realize that they actually would like a dirty tank, but now that they are dying off i know for a fact. i have been using the ro di for about a month now and they have not been growing at all, its kind of crazy. the only thing that is different is that. my tank has also experienced large salinity changes and they were fine. they have been in there for quite a while though. i would not worry too much about it. as long as one tiny little piece of tissue survives you will have a whole colony in about a week.

TJ · 06/14/2009, 09:48 PM

I've had my xenias to multiply & grow like weeds the way they do, for a long time, and then overnight, they've melted! Just recently they did that. They did that before, no water perimeters had changed at all... but within a few months a tiny fragment had started back up and the rock was completely covered again.

bigworm175 · 06/14/2009, 10:45 PM

I can't get rid of the stuff. My tank is pretty "clean". When I got the original stalk it was in a "dirty" tank and didn't do well. Moved it to a new tank w/more light and better parameters and I have to trim it back monthly. I have the pink stuff. The guy I got it from had the same issues. Are there just different strains?

es1887 · 06/14/2009, 11:06 PM

yes there are different species, but i also have the pink kind

06/14/2009, 11:51 AM	#1
Scungili Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: st petersburg Posts: 376	Can't get Xenia happy! Help. I have a very new 180gal tank with a low nutrient level. Yes it's cycled, water has been tested by LFS and myself and all is perfect as can be. I acclimated my xenia from my old tank where it was never 100% but ok. I've read that they require high light and low flow. I placed it in the middle of the water column under direct lighting approx 25"-30" under a 250MH. It seemed to be waking up from being acclimated and handled. All looked well... Then I did a water change of only about 20gal and I upped the salt from 1.021 to 1.025. My SPS corals are doing great, my mushroom coral is doing good, but the xenia started to shrink. I was afraid, like my mushroom, that it had too much light. So after several hours, I decided to move it toward the center of the tank where light is more diffused. After about 18hrs, it's doing much worse. I've read more and all that have them say High light, Low Flow. I went for the gusto and put it under the MH at the top of the tank, about 20" under lamp. It's puckering up even worse! I don't want to keep moving it, but I have no idea what happened or what to do. COuld it be the low nutrient levels? I know they like a slightly dirty tank, but I've read that far more important is Light. I have plenty of light, and water quality is great. Like I said, my other corals are happy. As for flow, my tank has very diffused flow, but a high turnover, so I know I'm good there. Can someone shed some light on this???

06/14/2009, 02:38 PM	#5
LauraCline Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lutz, FL Posts: 2,017	I was told Xenias don't like water hotter than about 78-79 F and also like a little bit of iodine. __________________ People, who have lost their dreams, will try to shoot down yours. Guard that door fiercely.

06/14/2009, 07:57 PM	#8
es1887 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: boulder co Posts: 652	iodine is easily replaced with water changes. as long as you do it once a week or so you should be fine. i have had my colony for years and they have grown out of control. i have never added iodine to my tank, i just do a water change once a week. i did how ever just start using ro di water and my colony is slowly wilting away. i think that they like to be in a "dirty" tank. __________________ "is it saltwater?" "yes." "the whole thing?!" -idiot Current Tank Info: 48x24x30 150, 2 400w 20k radium, 2 110w vhos, 2 mp40w, apex aqua controller, sro 5000 skimmer

06/14/2009, 08:38 PM	#10
es1887 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: boulder co Posts: 652	the colony in my tank goes from top to bottom and they all were really healthy. i did not realize that they actually would like a dirty tank, but now that they are dying off i know for a fact. i have been using the ro di for about a month now and they have not been growing at all, its kind of crazy. the only thing that is different is that. my tank has also experienced large salinity changes and they were fine. they have been in there for quite a while though. i would not worry too much about it. as long as one tiny little piece of tissue survives you will have a whole colony in about a week. __________________ "is it saltwater?" "yes." "the whole thing?!" -idiot Current Tank Info: 48x24x30 150, 2 400w 20k radium, 2 110w vhos, 2 mp40w, apex aqua controller, sro 5000 skimmer

06/14/2009, 11:06 PM	#13
es1887 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: boulder co Posts: 652	yes there are different species, but i also have the pink kind __________________ "is it saltwater?" "yes." "the whole thing?!" -idiot Current Tank Info: 48x24x30 150, 2 400w 20k radium, 2 110w vhos, 2 mp40w, apex aqua controller, sro 5000 skimmer

06/14/2009, 12:44 PM	#2
jmoney Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 970	xenia is one of those things that can just fail for reasons unknown, what started to bring mine back was lugols solution, 1 drop per 25 gallons once a week. I mixed it into a glass of tank water and gently blew i all over the xenia with a turkey baster.

06/14/2009, 01:06 PM	#3
nick063 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ocala, Florida Posts: 246	hmm i have had the same problems with xenia, i believe i had a problem with light acclimation, how long did you leave it under your light the first time? Ps what area in st.pete are you from? i'm originally from there

06/14/2009, 01:13 PM	#4
benr Moved On Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 127	I've always had problems with xenia in the summer time, they multiply like rabbits all year long and then for whatever reason they just start melting away, loosing their head and fall apart within a couple of days. Maybe temperature related? check to see if the temp in your new tank is higher than you old one. Also bringing salt level up that fast could shock them. I've also heard that the Iodine helps, maybe a dip could bring them back.

06/14/2009, 07:42 PM	#7
50hexman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami Posts: 68	I use DR.G'S iodide and it says needed for Xenias.... Check and dose let us know!

06/14/2009, 09:48 PM	#11
TJ Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Arkansas Posts: 237	I've had my xenias to multiply & grow like weeds the way they do, for a long time, and then overnight, they've melted! Just recently they did that. They did that before, no water perimeters had changed at all... but within a few months a tiny fragment had started back up and the rock was completely covered again.

06/14/2009, 10:45 PM	#12
bigworm175 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denver Posts: 418	I can't get rid of the stuff. My tank is pretty "clean". When I got the original stalk it was in a "dirty" tank and didn't do well. Moved it to a new tank w/more light and better parameters and I have to trim it back monthly. I have the pink stuff. The guy I got it from had the same issues. Are there just different strains?