Pulsing Xenia Alternative

[The Dish]

I like the idea of adding some pulsing Xenia to my tank, I am however conserned that they will become more of a nusience than anything. Any thoughts on a alternative or ways to keep Xenia in check?

[Dreichler]

buy some pulsing xenia, and glue the frag on a rock that is not touching any other rock, make sure its separated from other rocks, like in the sand bed

[Simulated Fish]

buy some pulsing xenia, and glue the frag on a rock that is not touching any other rock, make sure its separated from other rocks, like in the sand bed

My Xenia is on a rock alone.... It grew across the sand.... And up the glass.... Lol I love it though

[PDR]

Ime Xenia love nutrient rich tanks and either don't do well or don't grow much in a low nutrient environment. They will drop stalks off to float around and attach to other parts of the tank so isolating it will not work forever.

 

What other corals do you have in your tank?

[dutch27]

+1 to hippie.

 

You can consider clove polyps as well. They aren't as dynamic, and do mat out easily, but anyone I've known with them has had them easily overtaken in turf wars with corals they valued more highly, so they're pretty harmless overall.

[ajmckay]

On the back wall is a pretty popular option. Has the benefit of being easy to scrape off with a razor too.

 

In the sand is another option. As mentioned they'll drop stalks and occasionally pop up somewhere else so you'll have to just be aware when that does happen and manually pull the rogue pieces.

 

Finally, look up the different types. Not sure if they're all equally prolific, but I wouldn't be surprised if some varieties spread just a little slower than the others.

[markalot]

I was worried I would lose the Xenia (pom pom) in my 40 as I lowered nutrients but they are doing fine, just not reproducing. In newer tanks that are going through nutrient cycles Xenia can reproduce remarkably fast so just be sure to keep an eye on them.

[gulfsurfer101]

I have some growing on the sidewall of my 20l. If I do happen to see any growing anywhere else I have a razor blade or chisel for them pesky ones. Of that fails then there's always the wire brush nothing can escape from. I have the pulsing and white exenia that came with a zoa frag I picked up for ten bucks. The white xenia doesn't pulse as much but is a much slower grower. I've also witnessed it start to walk off from the colony across the back wall.