pulsing xenia

[ashley]

Hey there I have a question..I had got a piece of a grafted xenia and it was doing great and about one month later it has shrunk almost completely..it is still reproducing and pulsating but it won't extend...someone help

 

[Tahoe61]

Always trouble shoot water chemistry first, and if able post values. What type of lighting is on your system? Is a fish nipping at the coral? I suspect water chemistry first and then lighting if chemistry is in check.

 

[ashley]

No all my water is in normal parameters...all of my other corals are doing great nothing has died or anything..I haven't seen any bad behavior from any fish

 

[reefrider777]

They really like dirty water

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

And lower flow. I have three sets in my tank I play with. High flow med light stumpy w some new stalks. Low flow same light HUGE new stalks. very High flow bottom of the tank super stumpy lots of stalks and keeps spittin off babies.
I couldnt have xenias in my tank 7 months ago. Would not grow.
But it sounds like something changed in your tank over that time. New skimmer or chemical filter?gfo etc?

 

[Tahoe61]

No all my water is in normal parameters...all of my other corals are doing great nothing has died or anything..I haven't seen any bad behavior from any fish

Unfortunately you're going to hear/read time and time again that to offer adequate assistance we need actual values, it's a pain but it's the reality. For instances are you running a low nutrient tank, and if so how low, O values for nitrates and phosphates.?Fish do fine with lower specific gravity values such as 1.020 but coral not so much..... you see what I am getting at.
Another culprit can be a small nudibrach that is predatory to Xenia and looks just like one of the polyp heads.
Angels have been known to be Xenia eaters.

 

[ashley]

OK pH is 8.2,ammo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate o and salinity is 1.022

 

[reefrider777]

I say your water is too clean. What lights are you running, size of tank, flow?

 

[ashley]

Lights are 2ray led, 30 gallons and flow I have two different power heads or is on the right towards the bottom pointing behind the LR and the other is on the left top corner just kinda skimming the surface....

 

[Tahoe61]

I would try to add more nutrients and bring your Sg up to 1.025. If you're not doing routine water changes to add trace elements I would also do that as well. Adding more nutrients can be tricky, feed more, use less chemical filtration, watch for unwanted algae growth. I would start with bringing the SG up to normal saltwater values. You can do this slowly by topping off less, or increasing the SG of your water changes or remove a couple gallons of water and replace that volume with a higher SG.

 

[ashley]

Ok...thanks

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

They really like dirty water

I'm not so sure about this statement. I am sure they can but I have a very clean tank and a nice frag that is thriving.

 

[ashley]

Ya I'm not sure about it either..I upped my salinity to 1.024 and added trace elements and it won't perk up..what can I do for it...I'll attach a picture

 

[ashley]

It on the LR right above the duncan

 

[reefrider777]

do a google search for "xenia dirty water". You can spend all day reading posts about they like nutrients. Can you adjust the amount of flow from the power heads? I've had them melt away from no apparent reason, but I believe my water was too clean. Somebody even created a refugium using xenia vs macros.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I have 4 set in my tank. Flow and light are a big one like all corals. One low flow highlight is huge. One with the same light higher flow is small with lots of stalks. One lower light high flow is tiny lots of stalks and spitting babies. Nutrients I agree with. I couldn't get Xenia to grow well for several months in the new tanks.

 

[ashley]

I changed the flow so it's not hitting it anymore and it won't budge

 

[joshkirkland83]

Whats your alk? Phosphate? Magnesium? Calcium? What kind of test are you using? What kind of test did you use to check salinity?

 

[ashley]

All I have if a api master salt water test kit...so I can just check the pH ammo nitric and nitrate and a hydrometer...what test kit can I get to check all of the other stuff

 

[reefrider777]

Alk test kit