Pulsating Xenia dying? (Pic included)

TheClemsonKid20 · Apr 5, 2021

I have a pulsating Xenia that has been in the tank for about a month and a half now. Yesterday, and now today it seems to be shrinking up, and lost the little hairs on the “flowers”. It’s been doing great up until the last 24 hours or so. It’s the only coral I have, so I don’t have much to compare it to. Livestock is all doing A-OK. Any thoughts as to what the problem might be?

MichaelReefer · Apr 5, 2021

I have heard Xenia either thrives or fails in your tank. Personally, mine barely grows.

You have any numbers though? Calcium, alk, etc?

fryman · Apr 5, 2021

There's many reasons this may happen so we need more info. What are the params (salinity, temp, alk, nitrate, phosphate)? Could be as simple as too low salinity. How/what are you testing?

Xenia does very well in lightly or unskimmed tanks, and can actually serve as an alternative to chaeto. I've seen people even put it in a refugium. There's a risk it will spread uncontrollably and "take over" so some people consider it akin to a pest.

Xenia does not do well in heavily-skimmed or ULNS tanks.

It seems to handle a wide variety of flow and lighting, but it is possible to give too much or too little.

CMMorgan · Apr 5, 2021

I'll second @fryman I think Xenia likes it a little dirty. My nitrates stay around 20 and I'm confident that my clownfish uses my waving hand Xenia as a toilet.
Maybe the tank is just to clean. What are your numbers? Nitrate Phosphate Temp, Salinity??

JumboShrimp · Apr 5, 2021

Swings in salinity seem bad for mine in my little 20-gallon with no auto-top-off (ATO).

ssunthar · Aug 15, 2021

I am having similar problems too...

JumboShrimp · Aug 15, 2021

I know most people say they are like weeds that you can’t kill, but I have found them to be somewhat temperamental like Goldilocks… Trying to get things like the flow ‘just right.’