Xenia

I have 3 large stalks of xenia that I would either like to move or propegate and give away. The problem is, I have never propogated before. Should I wait until after the meeting next week or whip out the chain saw and cut these puppies down? They pulse really well and I do not want to jeapordize that. Can someone school me? Tanks!

Ryan is correct. Then attach them by sewing them to rubble with fishing line. I think this works the best.

You can also use just normal sewing string when you attach them make sure the string isnt super tight or it wll just cut its way through it and float away....

Edited by FIRE SHRIMP

I cut them in my tank all the time. I use scissors and cut them anywhere. The bigger the piece you cut off the easier it is to work with. I get a small rock and super glue it to it. Then place it back in a bowl of water for a few minutes. Then get a needle and cotton thread and pierce it about 1/4" from the rock. Glue both sides of the string to the rock. Then make a second stitch perpendicular to the first. Place back in the tank and it will attach itself in a few days. I have never lost one yet or had one come unattached in over 50 pieces.

Excellent ideas everyone. Thanks for the input, maybe I will try a little of everything and see what I like best.

Xenia is the easiest coral to propagate and kull has come upon the easiest way to do it. No need to take the time to sew it since it attaches within days.

An addition or improvement I would make to Kull's description is to cut the piece at the bottom of a "Y" or crotch and arrange the cut end to sit in a shallow depression in the rock so that the elastic puts some pressure on it but does not cut through the Xenia before it attaches. Position each branch on either side of the elastic.

If the elastic is left on long enough to where the Xenia grows around it, just cut the elastic and let it slide out.

Pom Pom Xenia may not branch so cut it just below the Pom Pom and lay the head in the rock depression with the elastic down the middle. If you double the elastic and cross it over the frag that sometimes helps keep it from slipping away.

The original stalk piece that's left on the rock soon grows new polyps.

I've done a doubled, crossed over elastic on just a short piece of stalk and it still attaches and grows a new head. As I said, IMO it's the easiest coral because of it's durability and speed of attachment.

What is the normal time it takes for the xenia to attatch?

Sometimes I've made a little pocket for my xenia by piling small pieces of rubble around them.  That way the rubberband is less likely to cut the xenia into two pieces.  You just have to keep the rock far enough away so that the xenia doesn't attach to them too.

Thanks for the info

IME, superglue won't hurt the xenia.  But it doesn't hold it down to the rock very well either.  It sticks for a day or so, then the xenia releases, ime.  An elastic band or a rock wedging it against another rock works best.  Two to three days and it'll be attached.