Anyone know what this is?

[atul176]

I got some Xenia about 3 days ago, and it’s pulsing moderately Bc it’s in decent flow, and it is opening up which is good, but I can’t help but notice a lot of the feathers are black? I’ve gotten some conflicting info on this, with people saying it’s a phase while some saying their Xenia’s melted after this. I have attached a picture.

 

[Rickybobby]

I ended up having a massive colony melt to a drop. Then weeks later has come back and taken over.

 

[atul176]

I ended up having a massive colony melt to a drop. Then weeks later has come back and taken over.

So did yours have black feathers or something similar?

 

[mdrieder]

I wouldn't stress about it. Xenia is kind of weird and often looks terrible a few days after adding it, it may even shrivel up completely for a week or so. IME it always comes back and looks great.

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

I got some Xenia about 3 days ago, and it’s pulsing moderately Bc it’s in decent flow, and it is opening up which is good, but I can’t help but notice a lot of the feathers are black? I’ve gotten some conflicting info on this, with people saying it’s a phase while some saying their Xenia’s melted after this. I have attached a picture.

There are numerous soft coral eating nudibranch that can resemble coral polyps, right down to the texture. Some don't get a chance to change color for a while when they move, so they can stick out for a bit. Get some tweezers and double check to make sure those aren't nudis.

 

[atul176]

There are numerous soft coral eating nudibranch that can resemble coral polyps, right down to the texture. Some don't get a chance to change color for a while when they move, so they can stick out for a bit. Get some tweezers and double check to make sure those aren't nudis.

What would indicate that they are nudis? I decided to pluck one feather off of a polyp today and it looked like it bled or it released some liquid. Is this an indication of a nudibranch? Also the entire polyp isn’t black, it’s like only 2 or three feathers, and only in a certain area, it hasn’t spread across the entire coral. Thanks for your help.

 

[MixedFruitBasket]

What would indicate that they are nudis? I decided to pluck one feather off of a polyp today and it looked like it bled or it released some liquid. Is this an indication of a nudibranch? Also the entire polyp isn’t black, it’s like only 2 or three feathers, and only in a certain area, it hasn’t spread across the entire coral. Thanks for your help.

This is a nudibranch that would eat Xenia and look like the Xenia. And are you sure the tentacles are black? Or just black under your blue lights? I would look at them under white light to be sure. As for how to tell if you have nudis on your coral, that's almost impossible for me to describe. There are lots of photos on the internet showing how they hide.

 

[atul176]

This is a nudibranch that would eat Xenia and look like the Xenia. And are you sure the tentacles are black? Or just black under your blue lights? I would look at them under white light to be sure. As for how to tell if you have nudis on your coral, that's almost impossible for me to describe. There are lots of photos on the internet showing how they hide.

Ok so most of them actually came off, and contrary to the pictures you added, rather than the frills being black, the center was. I’m not sure what the problems was but it went from 20-30 polyps being black down to 5-6