xiena

this may have been covered here but i could not find anything on it. my xiena was doing fine till sunday. i did a 10 gal water change(RO salt) and sucked the gravel. it started turning white and getting smaller every day there is less there. all the other corals seem to be doing fine. anyone have any ideas? does xiena go sexual? if what causes it to do that?
thanxs.
Brian

i dose iodine to the specs maybe i'll try doseing again. see if that will stop the decline?

Shane, are you talking about the normal run-of-the-mill "silver tip" xenia? or are talking about "pom pom" too? I've seen pom pom in old tanks that still looks good, but the only old/established tank I've personally seen that has good looking silver tip is the older display tank at Aquatica in Orem. I know the tank is sumpless, no skimmer and macro algae free (if I recall corectly). I'll have to ask Shawn what he thinks the secret is next time I'm in there.

See the article "Lessons of Xenia" in the June 2000 issue of the Sea Star Online (look to the left in the blue buttons) Pretty good writing IMHO

Couldnt find the site that Mark was mentioning, guess the computer is smarter than I am.

I have had Bali Xenia for a while now.  I havent experienced the massive crashes that I have herd others talk about, but I will share a bit of my experience with you on these.  My Xenia is quick to let me know when I behind on Iodine doseing!  It seems to do well as long as I dose it with 2 mils every other day in a 125 gallon Reef Tank that I have.  If I go more than 4 days or so, it starts looking pretty pathetic on me.  Any more than that amount and my Starburst Polyps start "revolting" on me.

Mark, If you could please help the "handicapped" and tell me where to look for that article or e-mail me the link...I would be willing to graval at your feet, well-maybe I wouldnt go quiet that far but...It would definitly be appreciated!

Edited by imaexpat2

I recently had a huge colony of the silver tip xenia crash in my tank. I read that xenia doesn't tolerate high temps and I know my tank temp got high this summer so I attributed it to that. But, Shane, are you suggesting macro algae may be the cause?

While you are reading this post, simply look to the far left on this screen. See the blue buttons for all the utahreefs pages? It starts with Home on top then count down 3 more buttons and click! Go to the first Sea Star listed which is June 2000 and you will find the Xenia article.
The WMAS newsletter, the Sea Star, has been published since 1995 when the club formed, but was not done electronically until 2000. Older issues are kept in the club library. It's been a while since a WMAS member volunteered to produce a new issue, probably because we now have this forum.

I have both silver tipped and red sea in my tank. Both are spreading like a disease. My xenia has had issues from time to time. But usually they don't recede. The fingers just don't extend and pulse rapidly. I asked Sean at Aquatica what he thought it was and he said if there is a water quality issue with the tank the Zenia will show it first. Beings that they are supposedly the easiest thing to grow I have to wonder if there is some truth to that. I have some silver tipped I threw in my sump for fun. The light is very minimal(one single 50w flourescent) and I keep it on 24/7 and it still doesn't affect the xenia. I do beleive in Iodine dosings.

peiji -

I do think there is a correlation between the rapid growth of the macro algae in my sump and the decline of the xenia. It may be that the algae consumed the nutrients that the xenia had been using for growth?
After this conversation, I checked the algae growth in my sump - it is also declining. One of my RD bulbs is out. Don't know for how long. Maybe I should throw some xenia in now and see what happens ...

i think i found the problem my PH has been raising its now at 8.8 or higher my test kit only goes that high. now how do i decrese my PH? anyone know?
thanxs