Help with Xenia

Fuhhcue · Jan 23, 2020

Hello, I am new to corals and I’ve been prepping my tank for 16 months. I wanted to start with Xenia and green star polyps. I know the polyps are weeds, but I really love the way they look. Anyway, I finally bought some Xenia three days ago and they’ve been placed in the tank last night. My Xenia have shrunk so small. All my parameters are correct. I checked them against live aquaria and vivid aquarium BEFORE I bought the coral. I think I’ve given as much info as I can.
mob, I have a 75 gallon tank. I have 2 current USA lead strips and a FluvalSmart light since my ai’s were shorted out.

AC1211 · Jan 23, 2020

Idk I am struggling with some LPS so I am about to go pick up some xenia to give me something easier...

Samina · Jan 23, 2020

May just take some time to adjust to its new environment. I know you said your parameters are good but what are they? What else is in the tank?

boacvh · Jan 23, 2020

I would give it some more time if it's just been 3 days. It took mine like a week+ to get comfortable and open up. Even if your parameters are correct they could be different than the previous water holding it.
What intensity do you have your current USA lights set to? I used to have those too.

BarSnackz · Jan 23, 2020

From what I have saw when I used to grow Xenia like weeds - they like really random flow patterns on them. Throw them on a spot on the rock that has a cross current so they will be hit from both ways alternately. They really don't care too much about light from what I have seen. They do well on my sandbed and at the top of my rocks. They really like Reef Roids and that will aid in them growing way out of proportions.
One last thing, though... my brother-in-law used to be able to grow all kinds of LPS and SPS in his tank but could not for the life of him grow Xenia even though him and I bought the frags from the same fish store a day apart.
Could have been that his water was a lot cleaner than mine.... just food for though!

Fuhhcue · Jan 23, 2020

boacvh said:
I would give it some more time if it's just been 3 days. It took mine like a week+ to get comfortable and open up. Even if your parameters are correct they could be different than the previous water holding it.
What intensity do you have your current USA lights set to? I used to have those too.

Thanks for your response. I have the lights set to go 80 on blue and 75 white at max.

Fuhhcue · Jan 23, 2020

BarSnackz said:
From what I have saw when I used to grow Xenia like weeds - they like really random flow patterns on them. Throw them on a spot on the rock that has a cross current so they will be hit from both ways alternately. They really don't care too much about light from what I have seen. They do well on my sandbed and at the top of my rocks. They really like Reef Roids and that will aid in them growing way out of proportions.
One last thing, though... my brother-in-law used to be able to grow all kinds of LPS and SPS in his tank but could not for the life of him grow Xenia even though him and I bought the frags from the same fish store a day apart.
Could have been that his water was a lot cleaner than mine.... just food for though!

Placement is what I struggle with. I figured I’d leave them in the middle of the rock. I’ll move them to the center of the sand bed.

Fuhhcue · Jan 23, 2020

Samina said:
May just take some time to adjust to its new environment. I know you said your parameters are good but what are they? What else is in the tank?

im going to do another check in the morning. I’ll reply with the parameters then.
Thanks for the response.

VictoryBell · Jan 23, 2020

When I added my Xenia it took awhile for it to stop being angry. ( I think at least a week. ) In my experience it’s a real drama queen if disturbed. I would give it time.

Juniorh2r · Jan 23, 2020

Parameters? And they tend to do good with a little phosphate

ReefReadyYouTube · Jan 23, 2020

Every new coral does that. Give it a week to three weeks to adjust. Here’s mine when I got it to now.

Uncle99 · Jan 23, 2020

Make sure you have sufficient nutrients, example 5-10ppm nitrate and 0.03-.1 phosphate.
They die in nutrient poor water.

Fuhhcue · Jan 23, 2020

Uncle99 said:
Make sure you have sufficient nutrients, example 5-10ppm nitrate and 0.03-.1 phosphate.
They die in nutrient poor water.

How can you tell the difference between them adjusting and them dying?

Eagle_Steve · Jan 23, 2020

Fuhhcue said:
How can you tell the difference between them adjusting and them dying?

Xenia melt, so to speak. Curled up tight into like they look is normal for new Xenia. They might be weeds, but are drama queens lol, so just keep an eye on them give them time to adjust.