Pulsing Xenia help!

[Dylan7huskies]

Hey so I got this pulsing Xenia frag and its not doing the best. It’s been about 24 hours. Any suggestions?

 

[sixty_reefer]

Hey so I got this pulsing Xenia frag and its not doing the best. It’s been about 24 hours. Any suggestions?

what are your parameters? Xenia tends to sulk for a few days sometimes after transport

 

[Dylan7huskies]

what are your parameters? Xenia tends to sulk for a few days sometimes after transport

I hope that’s what it is. And all I know off hand is 80 degrees and 1.023 salinity

 

[Gernader]

I hope that’s what it is. And all I know off hand is 80 degrees and 1.023 salinity

Salinity is too low for corals. Try to increase the salinity slowly to 1.025 to 1.026. Xenia generally takes time to get used to your tank for a couple of days.

 

[proxy001]

Mine looked like yours for a while. AS other poster said, check parameters, raised salinity a bit dont clean your reef tank for a few years (joke) and they will be fine.

 

[Dylan7huskies]

Salinity is too low for corals. Try to increase the salinity slowly to 1.025 to 1.026. Xenia generally takes time to get used to your tank for a couple of days.

Got it! Thanks!

 

[Dylan7huskies]

Mine looked like yours for a while. AS other poster said, check parameters, raised salinity a bit dont clean your reef tank for a few years (joke) and they will be fine.

Thank you!

 

[Wee Mad Arthur]

Before you get attached to it be sure you want it. Xenia grows at a phenomenal rate and will out compete other coral for light. I had mine on an island thinking that was safe until I found it starting to frag itself and the bits blowing around the tank and landing on other rock. Luckily for me I was able to remove it all. It’s a shame as I really liked it

If you do decide you still want it then make sure it doesn’t get battered by flow as it will shrink like in your picture. They will put up with quite a lot of flow but when they immediately shrink you’ll know you reached their limit.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My xenia tends to stay put rather than overtake tank.
Increase white light intensity and salinity a little. They do well under moderate light and water flow and a little iron in the water

 

[PTXReef]

Echoing the raising the salinity to 1.025-1.026 SLOWLY as the most important step. My xenias have created three colonies in my tank now and I very much enjoy them. They grow very quickly and the pulsing motion is mesmerizing!

Guy at the LFS says that if they stop pulsing, add iodine. I added some microvert (a coral food that also had iodine in the ingredients list) to target feed ~twice a week and within a month or so they started pulsing again. They like higher nutrients.

Happy reefing!