Xenia

[Mark Bradley]

Have a Xenia on its own little island. Problem is it seems to have taken that over - do I keep it ‘at bay’ by trimming it?

I am also thinking I could see if the LFS will take back the original piece as it’s got a number of offshoots - but it clearly needs to be kept in check. I appreciated it would grow when I bought it but I didn’t expect it to grow so much in 3 months - I want to keep it to a manageable size on its island - hence my first question above.

 

[Mark Bradley]

When I say ‘little island’ it’s about 7 ins by 3 ins.

 

[SPR1968]

Unfortunately even on an island it’s very invasive and trimming it will make it spread potentially all over as any bits can attach

Its one of my favourite corals, but its Just so invasive

If you like it just enjoy it for what it is

 

[Mark Bradley]

When it gets to the point of totally smothering what I’ve got it on won’t it just spread under its own wings?

 

[Nano sapiens]

I take my small Xenia island outside the aquarium every month or so and trim it with a pair of scissors. Then I swish it around in a bit of salt water before putting it back in the aquarium to help keep fragments out of the system. So far, no spread

 

[Mark Bradley]

I take my small Xenia island outside the aquarium every month or so and trim it with a pair of scissors. Then I swish it around in a bit of salt water before putting it back in the aquarium to help keep fragments out of the system. So far, no spread

I could do that

 

[Katrina71]

I love it too!

 

[LesPoissons]

I have a xenia island where the bulk of it stays but, little pieces will break off and I will find them sprouting in new locations around the tank. Its up to you. It will spread as much as it can. You can trim it or move it to your sump or remove whatever travels or sell back to an lfs if they will take it but it will will always require some degree of maintenance.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Evidently, there are quite a few different Xenia species and it's quite possible that some are more prone to fragmentation than others. For the one that I have, after a few months of fast growth I have yet to see a single fragment in the aquarium.

 

[Chac317]

Agree with taking it out to trim it. I think it gets a bad name but really is nice to look at when controlled. I’ve used a hemostat to grab the stalk and peel off the rock but pieces will float free and flow around to take base on other parts of the tank.

 

[Mark Bradley]

Evidently, there are quite a few different Xenia species and it's quite possible that some are more prone to fragmentation than others. For the one that I have, after a few months of fast growth I have yet to see a single fragment in the aquarium.

It’s getting very large for the rock I have it on plus my urchin keeps getting pieces on its back which it transport around the tank - luckily I’ve managed to remove those to date.

 

[Mikedawg]

It’s getting very large for the rock I have it on plus my urchin keeps getting pieces on its back which it transport around the tank - luckily I’ve managed to remove those to date.

That's what you call a true "hitchhiker" lol. Like your avatar BTW

 

[Mark Bradley]

So I lifted up the original piece which I had placed in the middle of an ‘island’. This has thinned out what I’ve got adequately and freed up space, on the ‘island’, for it to grow. Next time round it won’t be so easy. Unfortunately my LFS wouldn’t take it back - in fairness it’s not a coral I see in there too often, presumably because it grows like a weed. I’ve had this 3 months and can’t believe how many offshoots I’ve got - it’s grown circa three times it’s original size.