Xenia question

Some species do not pulse - I assume you know the kind you have pulses in other tanks?  If so then I would say the 3 most important things with keeping xenia healthy, happy and pulsing are - 1 - Light, 2 - Light, and 3 - Iodine...  What lighting do you have and over what size tank?

Dave

FWIW, I haven't noticed anything good (or bad) from dosing (not dosing) iodine.  Light and current do it for me.

If you like zenia, aquatica in orem has a very impressive zenia show tank (they had a crash of some sort a few months back that killed a lot of the zenia, but it still looks good).  They have, iirc, 4 different varieties of zenia all pulsing like mad... it's messmerizing :).

Its the mesh that alot of people use to attach frags to rock.  I have also read that using the gel super glue does work on xenia, but have never actually tried it.  May try and frag my colony sometime soon, I understand you can use a straw to suck up a single polyp, cut it with a razor and glue that piece to a rock.

  My xenia started with 3 and now up to about 7 stalks.  Just read that they REALLY stink when you pull em out to frag em. 

rfoote - OMG!  Please do not throw corals away.  At least bring them to me and I'll trade you for them or give you credit or something.

Sunlight.  If not available, halides.  That is what I think makes it pulse. 

oh, and I have a theory, but haven't really tested that low water flow increases the pulsing, but slows the growth.  Kind of a trade off.

Adam

Wow, with as many responses this thread has you would think I hadn't checked it in a week! I bought my Xenia from Birdworld, and it pulsated like crazy when I got it. But it soon stopped after being put into my tank. I talked to the person who sold it to me, and his first question was lighting. I said that I have 3.5 watts per gallon of flourescent, and was told that that was sufficient. Then came the Iodine. I've dosed the instructional ammount for 1.5 months. No results. I was told to start doing double doses, and still nothing. It grows like crazy, and appears to be healthy. But damnit, I want it to pulsate again! That is why I bought it.

What type of flow is it in?  I have noticed if mine is in heavy flow it sorta shrivels up and stays closed.  Medium flow they pulsate like mad.   It is very mezmirizing to just sit and stare at xenias pulsing.

Regarding the responses, yep, love this board.  Doesn't take very long to get answers to peoples questions.  With as many members as we have, there should be people out there that have already experienced things that are just happening to me or you for the first time.  Alot of quality information from others here.  The threads might get semi-hijacked some times, but you can always count on people that try to help!

Marcus - For some reason Xenia grows in my tank like Algae!  I can't keep up with it.  No joking I would have to be down there every week.  Jenjardu - I'm doing a water change tomorrow and I'll attach a few pieces to small rock and you can pick them up any time next week.