Xenia mystery

[TNSRFR]

I’ve been trying to add pulsing Xenia ever since I started my reefer 170 2 years ago.  I’m aware that it can take over the tank but I just love it’s pulsing motion which is mesmerizing to me.  I’ve tried 4 times already but each time, it shrivels up and melts away.  I have a mixed reef with softies, LPS, SPS and NPS.  My nitrate is at 10, phosphate at 1.  All my corals are doing well, some are thriving some are OK but they don’t die on me like Xenia.  When I get new corals, it takes sometime for it to get adjusted to my parameters but with Xenia immediate shrivel and melts away within few days.  I’ve read that some just can’t keep Xenia in their tank and I’m afraid that I maybe one of those.  They are supposed to be an easy beginner coral.  Why can’t I keep it?  If anyone can enlighten me on this mystery, I would be delighted.  

[Clown79]

Usually those who can't keep it, its from lack of nutrients.

 

All the xenia i had which did very well were under higher light and flow. The ones that didn't do well, were the ones in lower light.

 

Do you feed your tank? 

[TNSRFR]

44 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Usually those who can't keep it, its from lack of nutrients.

 

All the xenia i had which did very well were under higher light and flow. The ones that didn't do well, were the ones in lower light.

 

Do you feed your tank? 

Yes, I feed my tank due to NPS corals.  And I have a higher light and flow, Kessil 360X and MP40.

[Dave MN Nano]

I have one snapping Xenia. It shriveled up and I actually wondered if it was dead. I contemplated pitching it. My nitrates were too low. 1 or less. I raised my nitrates to 5 by doubling the amount of food I fed and no water changes for 5 weeks. Now my nitrates are 5 and phosphates 0.06 and my Xenia is thriving. Came back bigger and better and snapping away. I can't say for sure it was my nitrates but I monitor nitrates, calcium, hardness, salinity and phosphate. I am pretty sure nitrate is the only one of those that changed significantly.

[TNSRFR]

4 hours ago, Dave MN Nano said:

I have one snapping Xenia. It shriveled up and I actually wondered if it was dead. I contemplated pitching it. My nitrates were too low. 1 or less. I raised my nitrates to 5 by doubling the amount of food I fed and no water changes for 5 weeks. Now my nitrates are 5 and phosphates 0.06 and my Xenia is thriving. Came back bigger and better and snapping away. I can't say for sure it was my nitrates but I monitor nitrates, calcium, hardness, salinity and phosphate. I am pretty sure nitrate is the only one of those that changed significantly.

Thank you.  Despite my nitrate is @ 10, I’m beginning to wonder it may have something to do with how I set up my tank and how I maintain it.

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, TNSRFR said:

Thank you.  Despite my nitrate is @ 10, I’m beginning to wonder it may have something to do with how I set up my tank and how I maintain it.

Xenia aren't fussy corals.

 

Have you tested phosphates? Corals need phos

[TNSRFR]

3 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Xenia aren't fussy corals.

 

Have you tested phosphates? Corals need phos

Phosphate @ 1.   I feed heavy due to my sun coral and my sps doesn’t seem to mind phosphate being @ 1.  

[TNSRFR]

3 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Xenia aren't fussy corals.

 

Have you tested phosphates? Corals need phos

Oops.  .12 not 1...

[blasterman]

Xenia requires nitrate - check.

 

Xenia also does not do well under low pH and can't handle low pH swings. If it comes from a tank with higher pH and yours is on the low side it will quite often melt.

[TNSRFR]

47 minutes ago, blasterman said:

Xenia requires nitrate - check.

 

Xenia also does not do well under low pH and can't handle low pH swings. If it comes from a tank with higher pH and yours is on the low side it will quite often melt.

Thank you for your feedback but my ph is around 8.4 - 8.7 due to micro bubbling I run in the evening.  If Xenia came from low ph and my tank has higher, will that cause the melt also?

[Clown79]

10 minutes ago, TNSRFR said:

Thank you for your feedback but my ph is around 8.4 - 8.7 due to micro bubbling I run in the evening.  If Xenia came from low ph and my tank has higher, will that cause the melt also?

Its very odd the problems you have had. I've had xenia amongst bta's and not been bothered.

 

The only time i have experienced issues with xenia were with my fragged pieces that i kept in a small frag tank. Those pieces were in too low of light.

 

The other time was in my 15g which i struggled maintaining nutrients. You have nutrients so thats not it.

 

Have all the pieces you have added come from the same source?

 

Where in the tank are they: low light/high light, low/high flow?

 

What were the nighbouring corals?

 

[TNSRFR]

23 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Its very odd the problems you have had. I've had xenia amongst bta's and not been bothered.

 

The only time i have experienced issues with xenia were with my fragged pieces that i kept in a small frag tank. Those pieces were in too low of light.

 

The other time was in my 15g which i struggled maintaining nutrients. You have nutrients so thats not it.

 

Have all the pieces you have added come from the same source?

 

Where in the tank are they: low light/high light, low/high flow?

 

What were the nighbouring corals?

 

3 different LFS, I’ve tried from.  My tank has high flow in general due to MP40.  MP10 probably would’ve been sufficient for my tank but I didn’t know at the time of purchase.  My corals still have a lot of maturing to do but I usually placed Xenia near bottom with moderate flow but not near any corals that will sting.  Ph theory from blasterman is very interesting.  

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, TNSRFR said:

3 different LFS, I’ve tried from.  My tank has high flow in general due to MP40.  MP10 probably would’ve been sufficient for my tank but I didn’t know at the time of purchase.  My corals still have a lot of maturing to do but I usually placed Xenia near bottom with moderate flow but not near any corals that will sting.  Ph theory from blasterman is very interesting.  

I never tested ph. A lot don't focus on it anymore as long as alk is normal

 

 

My xenia were always in high flow and had no issues.

[TNSRFR]

4 hours ago, Clown79 said:

I never tested ph. A lot don't focus on it anymore as long as alk is normal

 

 

My xenia were always in high flow and had no issues.

I rest my case.  I tried to keep my alk around 9.  It’s a mystery for sure...

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, TNSRFR said:

I rest my case.  I tried to keep my alk around 9.  It’s a mystery for sure...

Definitely odd.

 

Do you have leathers in the tank? Do you run carbon?

[Harrisonbored]

Have you ever battled Bryopsis or Dinos in this tank?

 

[TNSRFR]

4 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Definitely odd.

 

Do you have leathers in the tank? Do you run carbon?

I have toadstool leather and yes, I run carbon.  I’ve lost pretty much all of my zoas and I think it’s due to toadstool leather.  They were on the same rock as toadstool.

[TNSRFR]

2 hours ago, Harrisonbored said:

Have you ever battled Bryopsis or Dinos in this tank?

 

No, I’ve never battled bryopsis or dinos in my tank.  I started dosing pods and phyto from the very beginning to get the tank ready for mandrin.  Luckily, my cycling was very smooth and didn’t go through the ugly stage.  I believe I owe it to early dosing of pods and phyto.

[Harrisonbored]

I only ask because years ago I had a tank where Bryopsis sprang up.  I tried the elevated Mag route which just so happened to coincide with the decline of my previously flourishing sump Xenia.  I've since read on one or two other posts that have claimed elevated mag levels as a form of Xenia control, but am unsure if it was just a coincidence.

 

 

[TNSRFR]

2 hours ago, Harrisonbored said:

I only ask because years ago I had a tank where Bryopsis sprang up.  I tried the elevated Mag route which just so happened to coincide with the decline of my previously flourishing sump Xenia.  I've since read on one or two other posts that have claimed elevated mag levels as a form of Xenia control, but am unsure if it was just a coincidence.

 

 

My mag is at where it should be, 1,320.  I do dose a bit since my euphyllias like high meg but not to the extend to eliminate bryopsis problem.  I can’t figure it out.   I just may have to start a new tank just to keep Xenia but there’s no guarantee that the new tank will support it.  😜

[gena]

If you can't figure out the xenia, I highly recommend anthelia.  They look very similar and I think they are so much easier to grow.  They don't pulse, but the shape of the coral and growth pattern is pretty much the same.

[Clown79]

 

13 hours ago, TNSRFR said:

I have toadstool leather and yes, I run carbon.  I’ve lost pretty much all of my zoas and I think it’s due to toadstool leather.  They were on the same rock as toadstool.

How often is the carbon changed?

[TNSRFR]

2 hours ago, Clown79 said:

 

How often is the carbon changed?

Every 2 weeks.

[TNSRFR]

2 hours ago, gena said:

If you can't figure out the xenia, I highly recommend anthelia.  They look very similar and I think they are so much easier to grow.  They don't pulse, but the shape of the coral and growth pattern is pretty much the same.

Only reason I want Xenia is for their pulsing.  So no pulse,  no anthelia.  I may just get a pico tank set up just to have Xenia.  😜

[Murphs_Reef]

I could never get Xenia to work out either. I have loads of softies, leathers, LPS and SPS.. all fine growing out well.. put Xenia in and it melts in a couple of days...