Sick Silver branch Xenia has curled up

deeppitt · 07/05/2006, 04:08 PM

Help!
My silver branch Xenia fingers are all curled up, much like the coral does naturally at night.
This came about either because of or coincidently with a boo-boo I made attempting to treat Ich with garlic oil. Instead of adding a drop of oil to the shrimp, I marinated the shrimp in about a 1/2 teaspoon of oil, all which made its way into the tank. Yea, stupid, I know.

FWIW, I also added ReefPlus that day just because it was due.

Anyway, that day the silver branch curled up and doesn't want to come out. It's fingers make a slight animic attempt to pulse: maybe one finger at a time half-way uncurling.

No other corals appear to be bothered or effected.

I pulled the xenia out of the tank and put it isolation in freshly mixed, non-oiled water. As the fingers all drooped, they gave off a reddish rusty colored powder-like residue which accumulated on the isolation tank floor. After a day, the isolation didn't seem to be making any difference, so I put the coral back into the tank where it might get some nutrients.

I have put 1/2 lb of activated carbon into the flow path. I'm not sure what else to do.
Should I add Iodine? SeaChem Reef Plus?
What else could I do?

Thanks!

HouseDJSTL · 07/05/2006, 07:30 PM

All you can do is wait. Xenia is a real sensitive coral. I had it growing in my tank and one day it all just shriveled up and died.... Don't know why, every other coral was just fine like yours.

Good Luck!

Gary Majchrzak · 07/05/2006, 07:44 PM

Well.... bust my buttons. I spend a lot of time on this board, read a lot of books and I've been reefkeeping for a long time but I've never heard of treating marine ick (Cryptocaryon irritans ) with garlic oil.
I'd change water (100% over the next week) and hope you don't lose anything besides your Xenia.

I'd also advise anyone reading this thread to research ick using legitimate sources of valid information and avoid garlic oil as a remedy for ick altogether.

jammerz · 07/05/2006, 08:45 PM

hey there, I have and have had lots of zenia, it seems to be very hardy, I have mine isolated so that it doesnt spread all over in my tank, anyway alot of times when i feed especially with garlic it closes up a few heads on the zenia. I always just leave it alone and they reopen. You should leave it in the main tank. How long have they been closed up for? Also check yer PH they are sensitive to PH changes. All in all a very hardy coral! so move it back under regular light and water conditions and ride it out, I bet they reopen....

deeppitt · 07/06/2006, 08:46 AM

Hallelujah!
Last night the heads opened!
The fingers are thin and emaciated, but they are pulsing again so they should be able to gather food and get their strength back.

Everything else remains unfazed by this. Maybe I've lucked out.....this time

Thanks to all for your postings and help.

Cheers!

07/05/2006, 04:08 PM	#1
deeppitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 44	Sick Silver branch Xenia has curled up Help! My silver branch Xenia fingers are all curled up, much like the coral does naturally at night. This came about either because of or coincidently with a boo-boo I made attempting to treat Ich with garlic oil. Instead of adding a drop of oil to the shrimp, I marinated the shrimp in about a 1/2 teaspoon of oil, all which made its way into the tank. Yea, stupid, I know. FWIW, I also added ReefPlus that day just because it was due. Anyway, that day the silver branch curled up and doesn't want to come out. It's fingers make a slight animic attempt to pulse: maybe one finger at a time half-way uncurling. No other corals appear to be bothered or effected. I pulled the xenia out of the tank and put it isolation in freshly mixed, non-oiled water. As the fingers all drooped, they gave off a reddish rusty colored powder-like residue which accumulated on the isolation tank floor. After a day, the isolation didn't seem to be making any difference, so I put the coral back into the tank where it might get some nutrients. I have put 1/2 lb of activated carbon into the flow path. I'm not sure what else to do. Should I add Iodine? SeaChem Reef Plus? What else could I do? Thanks!

07/05/2006, 07:30 PM	#2
HouseDJSTL Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: St Louis - Dogtown Posts: 1,303	All you can do is wait. Xenia is a real sensitive coral. I had it growing in my tank and one day it all just shriveled up and died.... Don't know why, every other coral was just fine like yours. Good Luck! __________________ "Music is the remedy for reality" Current Tank Info: 40 gallon - Reef Octopus 110 SSS - Radion Gen II light - (2) MP10W - 29G Sump

07/05/2006, 07:44 PM	#3
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	Well.... bust my buttons. I spend a lot of time on this board, read a lot of books and I've been reefkeeping for a long time but I've never heard of treating marine ick (Cryptocaryon irritans ) with garlic oil. I'd change water (100% over the next week) and hope you don't lose anything besides your Xenia. I'd also advise anyone reading this thread to research ick using legitimate sources of valid information and avoid garlic oil as a remedy for ick altogether. __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

07/05/2006, 08:45 PM	#4
jammerz Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Boise,ID Posts: 101	hey there, I have and have had lots of zenia, it seems to be very hardy, I have mine isolated so that it doesnt spread all over in my tank, anyway alot of times when i feed especially with garlic it closes up a few heads on the zenia. I always just leave it alone and they reopen. You should leave it in the main tank. How long have they been closed up for? Also check yer PH they are sensitive to PH changes. All in all a very hardy coral! so move it back under regular light and water conditions and ride it out, I bet they reopen....

07/06/2006, 08:46 AM	#5
deeppitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 44	Hallelujah! Last night the heads opened! The fingers are thin and emaciated, but they are pulsing again so they should be able to gather food and get their strength back. Everything else remains unfazed by this. Maybe I've lucked out.....this time Thanks to all for your postings and help. Cheers!