Xenia Troubles
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: SPS
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions SPS corals.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37165
Printed Date: July 28 2025 at 12:52am
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Topic: Xenia Troubles
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Subject: Xenia Troubles
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 3:18pm
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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! |
Replies:
Posted By: IFbettas
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 3:35pm
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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.
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Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 3:47pm
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That's good to know. I wonder if that is what happened to Bob's Xenia too. Mike -------------  |
Posted By: Bryguy514
Date 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. |
Posted By: MadReefer
Date 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. |
Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 5:59pm
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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? |
Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 7:03pm
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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.
------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 7:11pm
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Jake- that is a good point! I too wassurprised to see this.
Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: downhill_biker
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 7:35pm
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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. |
Posted By: PhotoGlen
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 8:07pm
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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 |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 13 2009 at 9:38pm
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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:
http://www.utahreefs.com/SeaStar/wmasSeaStarJn00.pdf - http://www.utahreefs.com/SeaStar/wmasSeaStarJn00.pdf ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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