Xenia Frag Help

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Hey My name is Will and I just need a little help with my Xenia. I just got this frag yesterday and it wouldn't stick to the rock, so I glued it. I think the glue somehow got undone, and now he is in a hole. The hole isn't deep or anything, but I don't know if he will be safe there, or if I should move him.
Help of any kind would be amazing, I don't really know what I'm doing here haha. Thanks!

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

William Spak said:
Hey My name is Will and I just need a little help with my Xenia. I just got this frag yesterday and it wouldn't stick to the rock, so I glued it. I think the glue somehow got undone, and now he is in a hole. The hole isn't deep or anything, but I don't know if he will be safe there, or if I should move him.
Help of any kind would be amazing, I don't really know what I'm doing here haha. Thanks!

Hi Will, welcome to R2R! Do you have a photo of what we are talking about here? How deep is the little guy?

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Here's a photo.. would have uploaded it earlier but I couldn't figure it out... When he was at the store he had many heads. Since they are not showing, I'm afraid they may be being crushed by the rock.

Thank you so much for responding!

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

I wouldn't worry too much. Xenia is gorgeous but it can also be a pest -- it grows and spreads quickly. It will spread itself over that rock in no time.

You can try picking up the rock and gently try to shake it out, but I wouldn't worry about it if it is stuck there.

McFly · Apr 18, 2019

It will be fine and take over that entire rock (and your tank) in no time.

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Alrighty.. one more question though, do you think that he is actually attached to the rock or is he just floating in the hole... does it matter?
Thank you so much for the help!

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

William Spak said:
Alrighty.. one more question though, do you think that he is actually attached to the rock or is he just floating in the hole... does it matter?
Thank you so much for the help!

Unless he's held with glue he wouldn't encrust that quickly. It takes awhile for a coral to attach on their own.

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Salty Lemon said:
Unless he's held with glue he wouldn't encrust that quickly. It takes awhile for a coral to attach on their own.

Ok thats fine... but he will attach right?

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

William Spak said:
Ok thats fine... but he will attach right?

Eventually, yes, he will attach.
Since this is your first day here, there are two things you need to do next on R2R.

Say "hello" on the meet and greet forum. Tell us a bit about yourself so we can get to know you, and we will say "hello" as well.
Start what is called a "build thread" under the section for "member tanks". People here like to follow along with the ups and downs (we all have them) of your tank progress. Also...we like pictures.

If you ever have questions about being new to saltwater reef aquariums, post your questions under "new to saltwater aquariums". We have lots of veterans on this forum who keep an eye out for this section -- because they want to help.

Here is the link: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/new-to-saltwater-reef-aquariums-post-here.130/

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Salty Lemon said:
Eventually, yes, he will attach.
Since this is your first day here, there are two things you need to do next on R2R.

Say "hello" on the meet and greet forum. Tell us a bit about yourself so we can get to know you, and we will say "hello" as well.

Start what is called a "build thread" under the section for "member tanks". People here like to follow along with the ups and downs (we all have them) of your tank progress. Also...we like pictures.

If you ever have questions about being new to saltwater reef aquariums, post your questions under "new to saltwater aquariums". We have lots of veterans on this forum who keep an eye out for this section -- because they want to help. Here is the link: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/new-to-saltwater-reef-aquariums-post-here.130/

Sure thing... thank you so much for your help.. it means a lot to me!

zoous · Apr 18, 2019

same thing happened to me. came off the plug re-glued it. next morning disappeared. thought i lost it. after a week found it attached to rock by itself.

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Update: I think he is sinking down into the hole further! Should I be concerned??

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

If it was anything but a Xenia, I would be concerned. Those buggers are like cockroaches. You might try to shake him out or carefully use a tool to pop him out. You might damage a polyp or two, but he will recover quickly.

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

Salty Lemon said:
If it was anything but a Xenia, I would be concerned. Those buggers are like cockroaches. You might try to shake him out or carefully use a tool to pop him out. You might damage a polyp or two, but he will recover quickly.

What should I do with him once he is out of there?

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

William Spak said:
What should I do with him once he is out of there?

Take Superglue GEL or coral glue, and glue him to a rock in a low-medium part of your tank. He will be happy.

wesman42 · Apr 18, 2019

William Spak said:
What should I do with him once he is out of there?

Use a rubber band and rubber band the whole thing to a piece of rock.

You really don't need to worry about if it's fragile or not. It's probably the one of the most hardy that you can get. To put it in perspective for you, I purposely tried to kill all of mine off because it's stupid invasive...and I literally couldn't. I had to pull apart rockwork.

I'd put it on it's own piece of rock far away from anything else or it will take over your tank in 6 months.

Salty Lemon · Apr 18, 2019

wesman42 said:
Use a rubber band and rubber band the whole thing to a piece of rock.

You really don't need to worry about if it's fragile or not. It's probably the one of the most hardy that you can get. To put it in perspective for you, I purposely tried to kill all of mine off because it's stupid invasive...and I literally couldn't. I had to pull apart rockwork.

I'd put it on it's own piece of rock far away from anything else or it will take over your tank in 6 months.

+1 -- I was just typing up the same thing about placing it on its own rock. Seriously...it spreads.

McFly · Apr 18, 2019

They attach pretty quick to anything.

I accidentally have a mobile Xenia frag with a mushroom caboose.

Gonebad395 · Apr 18, 2019

Welcome to R2R that stuff is tuff he will encrust it will be fine

William Spak · Apr 18, 2019

I just re glued him to the rock... hopefully he stays this time!
Would it be okay if I ask another question here? Or should I make a different thread... its about my duncan coral.. you can sort of see him in one of the photos, he hasn't been out in a while.. maybe he's just stressed?
Regardless thank you guys so much for the help!