| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Adam Blundell 
Presidency
Joined: June 24 2002
Location: Davis County
Status: Offline
Points: 18526
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: Xenia Troubles
Posted: December 13 2009 at 3:18pm |
So I have a story I thought I'd share. I feel kind of stupid with this because with all my years in the hobby I never figured this out before.
With my current tank I can't keep xenia. I've tried a few frags here and there, they last a day, two days at most. I looked for the standard issues; temperature, lack of light, etc. No luck.
So recently I decided to try a whole rock with xenia. Acclimated it in my coral tank, kept it for weeks. Then decided to move it to my main tank. I watched my three long spine urchins find the rock within minutes and devour the xenia. All three climbed right on it and just ripped it from the rock.
Duh, how could I have not figured that out before? Let that be a lesson to you... xenia and long spine urchins don't go together.
Adam
|
|
Come to a meeting, they’re fun!
|
 |
IFbettas
Guest
Joined: January 25 2009
Location: Idaho Falls
Status: Offline
Points: 78
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 3:35pm |
That's interesting!
I don't have any urchins, but I can still only barely keep xenia alive. For some reason it just doesn't like my tank. Right now I have one piece, which I got in February, that hasn't grow a bit. I guess that's better than having it take over everything, but I would still like to see some growth out of it.
|
|
Mike Savage
Guest
Joined: July 15 2005
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 19173
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 3:47pm |
That's good to know. I wonder if that is what happened to Bob's Xenia too.
Mike
|
|
|
|
Bryguy514
Guest
Joined: September 22 2003
Location: Bountiful, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 599
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 4:32pm |
|
Very interesting and good to know. I had xenia take over a tank and I couldnt control it by pulling it off the rock.
|
|
MadReefer
Guest
Joined: December 13 2007
Location: Kearns
Status: Offline
Points: 1965
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 4:40pm |
|
I've always been able to pull the xenia completely off the rock. It must be the type I have.
|
|
Jeffs_little_ocean
Guest
Joined: October 04 2009
Location: Kaysville
Status: Offline
Points: 869
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 5:59pm |
|
My tank grows silvertip and redsea no prob, but the pompom always melts away within a week. Ive tried 3 times. Its a total mystery.
|
|
Life is good....right?
|
|
Jake Pehrson
Admin Group
Joined: June 13 2002
Location: Murray, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 4279
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 7:03pm |
|
I have had Xenia and long spine urchins in the same tank any they both have done great. I have no doubt that they make have bulldozed over them a couple of time, but I don't think they were really ever eating them. Adam, maybe your long spines are starving.
|
|
|
|
Adam Blundell
Presidency
Joined: June 24 2002
Location: Davis County
Status: Offline
Points: 18526
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 7:11pm |
Jake- that is a good point! I too wassurprised to see this.
Adam
|
|
Come to a meeting, they’re fun!
|
|
downhill_biker
Guest
Joined: February 28 2009
Location: West Jordan, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 2167
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 7:35pm |
|
I have xenia, silver branching and pompom, and a longspine sea urchin. So far I haven't seen the urchin show any interest in the xenia, but it has only been a week since I added the urchin, and I hardly ever know where he's at anyways. My xenia are on kindof their own little island, to keep them from spreading like weeds, and maybe this will keep the urchin away from it too. Very interesting Adam.
|
|
Make sure you post your best pictures every month in our POTM forum.
|
|
PhotoGlen
Guest
Joined: October 26 2009
Location: Tooele
Status: Offline
Points: 279
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 8:07pm |
|
Adam, I just wanted to let you know that the Pom Pom you helped me out with melted away but the piece that fell off is thriving. I have seperated it and it is now sending out new sprouts. I also have a larger Pom Pom that is also doing well. Thanks, Glen.
|
|
I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate.
George Burns
Now two 29 gal. Biocubes
90 gal. with a 40 gal. sump
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: December 13 2009 at 9:38pm |
Adam, I agree with Jake, your urchins may be starving.
For anyone interested in the strangeness of Xenia, see "Lessons of Xenia" in this issue of the Sea Star:
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
