Xenia

Hilltopreef90 · Oct 18, 2021

I keep reading people advising others to not put Xenia in their reef tanks because it can take over a tank. I’m wondering aside from taking over do they sting or cause issues for other corals? I’m one of those that have a hard time getting corals to grow and thrive but the Xenia has thrived and my maroon clown loves it as well.
I was going to move some to my new tank but now I’m wondering if I should leave it in my nano with the maroon clown and try once again to grow a nice variety of corals that may not grow as fast and easily but won’t get out of control either?
I have everything I should need as far as lighting, flow and equipment to be successful with my new aquarium, I guess I can always move the Xenia later if nothing else grows and thrives ‍

Aside from it growing so well I do enjoy they look of Xenia and watching the polyps pulsating.
I’m wondering how many agree it’s best to leave the Xenia out of my new aquarium?

(Xenia in my nano tank)

Reefer5640 · Oct 18, 2021

I think the biggest issue I’ve seen with Xenia is it’s ability to smother other corals. In my experience it’s sting isn’t as strong as other corals as much as it can just tolerate a lot more than what other corals can. So when it comes to a territory issue/chemical warfare, the Xenia usual prevail. If it’s a coral you like then put it in your tank. I don’t typically recommend it but you already have a tank with it and have seen first hand how fast it can spread. If it’s something you want and you think you can manage it… but on the other hand, if you are contemplating trying other corals maybe do that first and enjoy the Xenia in its separate tank for the time being. If it’s a mixed reef you’re after with a variety of coral it’s my opinion that Xenia will just take over eventually.

Hilltopreef90 · Oct 18, 2021

Reefer5640 said:
I think the biggest issue I’ve seen with Xenia is it’s ability to smother other corals. In my experience it’s sting isn’t as strong as other corals as much as it can just tolerate a lot more than what other corals can. So when it comes to a territory issue/chemical warfare, the Xenia usual prevail. If it’s a coral you like then put it in your tank. I don’t typically recommend it but you already have a tank with it and have seen first hand how fast it can spread. If it’s something you want and you think you can manage it… but on the other hand, if you are contemplating trying other corals maybe do that first and enjoy the Xenia in its separate tank for the time being. If it’s a mixed reef you’re after with a variety of coral it’s my opinion that Xenia will just take over eventually.

Thanks, I figure I’ve got plenty growing well in the nano, if I decide to add it later I can but I’d like to grow other corals first

homer1475 · Oct 18, 2021

The issue with xenia, it outgrows pretty much everything else. It's sting is rather benign, and it's very low in the chemical warfare list. What it can, and does do is grow so fast it outpaces everything else. It kills other corals by simply growing over them.

If you like it, then by all means grow it out, if you want other corals, leave it in it's own tank. I like it, but it has no place in my tank with other corals. I've been thinking about setting up it's own tank plumbed into my main system as a nutrient export method(works very well from what I've read), a xenia refugium if you will.

snorklr · Oct 18, 2021

i figured i could keep it contained to one rock but it immediately started dropping branches that floated away...was afraid it would establish itself behind my rock where i couldnt see it in time to deal with it...i panicked and pulled it out of the tank and banished it to a 1 gallon betta tank with a ug filter and no light...its still alive...i'd like to get it a real nano

Zoa_Fanatic · Oct 18, 2021

snorklr said:
i figured i could keep it contained to one rock but it immediately started dropping branches that floated away...i panicked and pulled it out of the tank and banished it to a 1 gallon betta tank with a ug filter and no light...its still alive...i'd like to get it a real nano

Mine doesn’t grow fast at all. Idk if I have a different variety but it’s stayed in badically the same place on my wall for months

snorklr · Oct 18, 2021

in retrospect i think i had it in an area with too much light and flow and it wasnt happy and was dropping branches to get out of there...but it basically doubled in size in 2 weeks

Hilltopreef90 · Oct 19, 2021

snorklr said:
in retrospect i think i had it in an area with too much light and flow and it wasnt happy and was dropping branches to get out of there...but it basically doubled in size in 2 weeks

I’ve had some that grew like crazy and was ugly and not the pulsing kind, but I was new to the hobby and just happy something was growing
Then I got the pretty pulsing kind and couldn’t grow it initially but now I have a nice colony that I try to trim back but it has gotten into crevices that I’ll never get them out of. My clown likes it and it’s somewhat controllable in the nano cube so that’s where it’ll stay I’ll leave it out of my nee 90 gallon
I had a similar experience with gsp, it was growing so fast I couldn’t give it away I had so much, I later learned it was the long stem type. Unfortunately a power outage killed that entire tank except my clown fish survived.
I’ve not been able to grow gsp since, definitely not so well that I was throwing it away