Fragging Pulsing Xenia Question

[tidepool2]

Hi Everyone,

I'm getting ready to frag my Pulsing Xenia that's in my display tank. When I cut one of the Pulsing Xenia stalks with scissors, will the cut piece that's still attached to live rock regenerate?

Is it better to cut with a blade or scissors?
Any info you have on this I would appreciate hearing!

Thanks!

Laurie

[Sugar Magnolia]

Yes, it will regenerate. Xenia is the weed of the sea. Razor blade will give you a nice clean cut. And it will slime up on you when handled. Happy fragging!

[Ritorix]

Pretty much any xenia cells remaining alive on the rock will regenerate.

[strike2867]

Don't, it will overgrow your tank without help.

[tidepool2]

Thanks for your help with this!

What's the best way get rid of Pulsing Xenia if it over-grows?

[fasteddie99]

I've been leaning mine against small rubble rocks and they attach themselves in 2 days. I wait about a week and snip the base with scissors. Xenia loves to "reach" for something to adhere to so I always somehow put the rock I want it to grow on above the xenia and it seems like it smells it and reaches for it. It will start to thin out at the base as it grows on other rocks, thats when I snip them.

I've also just snipped the stalk off of the mother colony to keep it from growing on any other rock in the display and just threw it in the corner of the tank in a low flow area, it started pulsing within 15 minutes and within 2 hours after that it was fairly inflated and pulsating like normal.

Its like crabgrass in your lawn, a weed that you can hardly kill.

[Anemonebuff]

Originally Posted by tidepool2

Thanks for your help with this!

What's the best way get rid of Pulsing Xenia if it over-grows?

Prune it like you would a flower. I would also isolate it on an island or corner where it cannot overgrow other corals.

[d0ughb0y]

just use scissors to snip the stalk. you can then superglue the stalk to a rubble. maybe hard at first because it will slime, but superglue will cure fast.

as for over growth, just snip away using scissors.

[Anemonebuff]

Originally Posted by d0ughb0y

just use scissors to snip the stalk. you can then superglue the stalk to a rubble. maybe hard at first because it will slime, but superglue will cure fast.

as for over growth, just snip away using scissors.

When I had xenia to frag I would dry the stalks with papertowels prior to gluing them. Back then they did not have crazy glue gel, which is much easier to use.

[tidepool2]

Thanks so much everyone! This is valuable info and I appreciate your help! Reef Central ROCKS!

[Onedeadbob]

I agree Thanks for the fragging info guys!

[Agu]

Not to be self serving but propagation techniques are species specific with xenia.


http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/fotm/index.php

[Powdermonkey]

Ive had luck using a plastic toothpick. Sharpen the end, push it through, cut below the toothpick and rubberband to rubble.

[rsaha]

I just scrape at the base with a fingernail. I loop an elastic band around rubble and slide the base of the xenia under the elastic. After a few days they attach and I remove the elastic.

[o0jmadr0x0o]

i like filling the bottom of a plastic cup with small rubble and put it in a very low flow area, i use my fuge, then i just throw the xenia i cut from the mother colony in there and they almost always attach.

[preef]

Originally Posted by o0jmadr0x0o

i like filling the bottom of a plastic cup with small rubble and put it in a very low flow area, i use my fuge, then i just throw the xenia i cut from the mother colony in there and they almost always attach.

+1
That's what I used to do too.

[Rstjean2]

if your trying to get rid of pulsing xenia I would cut off as much as possible then when it starts to grow back i covered it in aiptasia x. It kind of melts it over a couple days and doesnt seem to grow back.

[dcombs44]

I had an anthelia overload at one point (similar to xenia). It took me about 6 hours to remove it from my system. I took a razor blade and carefully peeled it all up by the mat. Had to remove each rock from the system to do so. Pain in the neck.

[rioshilo]

It definitely can overtake your tank. I tried isolating it at first. Now its on every rock and covers the back glass. Once a month I siphon out 100 plus stalks of it and just toss them out.

[kingfisher62]

Originally Posted by Rstjean2

if your trying to get rid of pulsing xenia I would cut off as much as possible then when it starts to grow back i covered it in aiptasia x. It kind of melts it over a couple days and doesnt seem to grow back.

Then, what do you do to get rid of the aiptasia?
Wasn't this a DR. Seuss story?

[dcombs44]

Originally Posted by kingfisher62

Then, what do you do to get rid of the aiptasia?
Wasn't this a DR. Seuss story?

Aptasia X, Not Aptasia. Aptasia X is basically a kalkwasser paste used for removing aptasia. Joe's Juice is a similar product.

[jnbrex]

Xenia easily peels off of rocks. It's surprising that more people don't know that. If you grab the top of a stalk to keep it in place and push on the bottom with your other hand, it will peel right off.

[pugcrush]

Originally Posted by powdermonkey

ive had luck using a plastic toothpick. Sharpen the end, push it through, cut below the toothpick and rubberband to rubble.

+1

[kingfisher62]

Originally Posted by dcombs44

Aptasia X, Not Aptasia. Aptasia X is basically a kalkwasser paste used for removing aptasia. Joe's Juice is a similar product.

I like the Aptasia X, Joes juice would always crystallize on me no matter how I stored the bottle.