Pulsating Xenia Placement?

Roboson · May 10, 2016

Where in my tank should this guy go? I got a small frag really cheap at the LFS today on a whim, but it seems like he doesn't want to attach anywhere in my tank.

saltyfilmfolks · May 10, 2016

Roboson said:
Where in my tank should this guy go? I got a small frag really cheap at the LFS today on a whim, but it seems like he doesn't want to attach anywhere in my tank.

start with a lower flow. pref on a rock kinda alone. as it gets happy it will likely spread. VICIOUSLY. sometimes.

Roboson · May 10, 2016

That's really what I'm hoping for. The frag itself has maybe ten heads, so I'm hoping it will grow out a bit. How about lighting? How much is optimal for this little fellow?

saltyfilmfolks · May 10, 2016

Roboson said:
That's really what I'm hoping for. The frag itself has maybe ten heads, so I'm hoping it will grow out a bit. How about lighting? How much is optimal for this little fellow?

it almost will grow in the dark. Most xenia it seems come from murky waters with high nutrients. If you have a high nutrient tank they will sometimes take off on you. great Po4 reducer.
if you can get a lowish med flow so theres some nice waving, they look great and really extend. that same lil colony can be 3 or 4 inches at the end of the week.

Heres a trick, if they start to get a lil out of control, up the flow. they shrink up and dont spread rapidly. IME.
pull all the babies it drops out of the tank.

phantomreefing · May 10, 2016

As cool as they are, they do become a pest.

Xenia thrive in any location.

What you should keep in mind is where to put so YOU can keep control of it.

saltyfilmfolks · May 10, 2016

Curiously, they hate my sump.

Roboson · May 10, 2016

Should I try to get it up on a rock or should it be on the sandbed?

phantomreefing · May 11, 2016

I would not put on the rock. Unless the rock is isolated from all the other rocks.

I'm telling they are going to spread everywhere and be a nuisance.

ngvu1 · May 11, 2016

I have some I my sump and they are doing great. Not sure because of low flow...

Roboson · May 11, 2016

I don't have very many corals, just these and two mushrooms and two hitchhiking polyps. So I'm trying to get them to spread. As of now, I have them on a rock away from other rocks in an area of medium flow, and good light. Will that make them grow a lot?

Peanut · May 11, 2016

Roboson said:
I don't have very many corals, just these and two mushrooms and two hitchhiking polyps. So I'm trying to get them to spread. As of now, I have them on a rock away from other rocks in an area of medium flow, and good light. Will that make them grow a lot?

time....and before you know it, it will take over your entire tank

ngvu1 · May 11, 2016

Put it in a low flow area and it will attach to live rocks. They are very easy but when i first started out, i did kill them

Water condition is pretty much the only thing that kills xenia. Give it time and do tank maintenance regularly you will have more than enough

cjd · May 11, 2016

Careful what you wish for, they are one of the reasons I broke down my cube tank . I even took out the rocks they were attached to, clipped all the stalks and burned the base that was still attached to the rock with a lighter and they still grew back!

ngvu1 · May 11, 2016

Top view LOL

Darbna · May 11, 2016

What are the green plants you have there?

ngvu1 · May 11, 2016

Macro algae caulerpa I think

Darbna said:
What are the green plants you have there?

Roboson · May 11, 2016

It's my understanding that calerpa has round orb-like things on it. Yours looks more like a cactus than calerpa.

saltyfilmfolks · May 11, 2016

There are many types of calurpa. That is Caulerpa serrulata

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_4/caulerpa.html

Oh FWIW
The Southern California Caulerpa Action Team (SCCAT) recommend that clippings be placed inside a sealed plastic bag and frozen for 24 hours before being disposed of with the household waste.

Roboson · May 12, 2016

Update on my Xenia: it's almost grown an inch in since I got it. Two days ago. Before it looked like a little waving blob, now it looks like a little pick broccoli. I can see how this stuff could take over a tank.

ngvu1 · May 12, 2016

Is this a yay or nay post ;-)?

Roboson said:
Update on my Xenia: it's almost grown an inch in since I got it. Two days ago. Before it looked like a little waving blob, now it looks like a little pick broccoli. I can see how this stuff could take over a tank.