My crazy pulsing Xenia

[AlexKilpatrick]

I've never had much luck keeping xenia alive, much less have it nicely pulsing, but with this latest attempt, I have hit paydirt:

xenia (mpg, about 10 meg) (http://stupidstuff.completelyfreehosting.com/publicVideos/xenia.mpg)

This is in a nano that is about a month old. It is a nanocube, about 12 gallons. The temp has varied between 72 and 84 (oops) and it doesn't seem to affect the pulsing. It is bare-bottom tank, and I do weekly water changes.[/url]

[GaryP]

The temp. is probably your problem. They are sensitive to high temp. Try to keep the temp. below 82 if possible. 78-80 is ideal.

They will also pulse faster in a higher pH water.

[AlexKilpatrick]

I don't have a problem :) It pulsed the same at 82 as it did when it accidentally got down to 72.

[CD]

Alex-
You may not have a problem now, but that doesn't mean that it won't occur down the road if conditions are not maintained. I have seen xenia pulsing like crazy in the store and would continue for a couple of weeks after the person purchased it, but if conditions are not maintained, they can and have stopped pulsing altogether. Also (Gary, correct me if I'm wrong) I *think* they like additions of iodine?

Wendy

[fishhawk]

I keep my heater at 80 and with the 2-400watt hallides on it reaches 84.4 top end. My xenia not only consistently pulses,but from 3 tiny stalks has multiplied to about 25 large stalks in about 5 months time. In fact, I am going to have to pull some up and transplant them because one tiny bugger that floated over by my crocera has become an iron curtain of about 10 very large interconnected stalks in front of it. Now every once in a while they will all retract for anywhere from 5 mins. to 30 mins, and and sometimes not all of them will retract, only a few in one area. :confused: Go Figure??????

[AlexKilpatrick]

Right. I know what the proper temperature ranges are. The temperature drop was an error on my part.

I have heard the thing about adding iodine for xenia, but I have also heard that it is impossible to accurately test for iodine, so you shouldn't add it because you can never tell whether you really need it or not.

[fishhawk]

oh, PS...In Bornemans book on Aquarium corals, it gives acual references of high/ low/ and average water temps in reefs around the world. Some have hight temps in the range of 87 with the average of that particular reef of about 83/84 if I remember my reading. I don't really like it when my tank hits it's daily 84.2 but none of my fish or corals have seemed to mind it. I'm thinking of adding a 3rd thermometer. The won titanium heater sensor readout will give me 82 on it's led's while the digital one I got from petsmart will read out 83.2 etc at the same instant.....sheesh...which is which?

[GaryP]

The idea of adding iodine is pretty much up in the air right now. There was a recent study that showed its not necessary. I added Lugols for years but I no longer do. I really don't want to encourage Xenia to grow that fast. It will take over your tank. I gave a bunch away yesterday and took a big butter tub full of it to the LFS today.

There are basically two kinds of reefers. Those that can't grow Xenia, and those that wish they couldn't. I call Xenia "Aquarium Crabgrass."

Gary

[CD]

you can never tell whether you really need it or not.


True - and I'm sure that would be especially scary in a nano. Your frequent water changes may be helping a lot though. What type of salt do you use? Most salts like Oceanic and IO have trace elements of iodine in them anyway. I've never put any xenia in our tank, as it's equivalant to marine aquarium crabgrass (easy to grow and spreads like wildfire). We pretty much stick to SPS and LPS...and zoas (can't help myself with those things - the wide array of colors is just too addicting ;) )

Good luck with the nano :D
Got any pics of the entire tank?

Wendy

[AlexKilpatrick]

The won titanium heater sensor readout will give me 82 on it's led's while the digital one I got from petsmart will read out 83.2 etc at the same instant.....sheesh...which is which?

I have done some electronic design work, and the sensors I worked with were accurate to +/-1 degree centgrade, which in your case would mean that they both were right. It is hard to find sensors accurate to more than one degree farenheit.

[GaryP]

fishhawk,

You are correct, but remember our corals come from a wide range of environments. Some may acclimatized to shallow lagoons where temps are high, but some may be deep water corals where temps are much lower. By keeping temps in the 78-82 F range we are providing an environment that is suitable for most corals.

Some corals are left exposed to the air and equatorial air temps during low tides in many shallow lagoons, but I don't plan on trying that in my tanks.

Gary

[AlexKilpatrick]

Your frequent water changes may be helping a lot though. What type of salt do you use? Most salts like Oceanic and IO have trace elements of iodine in them anyway. I've never put any xenia in our tank, as it's equivalant to marine aquarium crabgrass (easy to grow and spreads like wildfire). We pretty much stick to SPS and LPS...and zoas (can't help myself with those things - the wide array of colors is just too addicting ;) )

Good luck with the nano :D
Got any pics of the entire tank?

Wendy

I'm using Oceanic salt. I have always loved Xenia because it is so active (even when it isn't pulsing). It is a good sink for nutrient export, and if it grows too much I hope I can just sell it to the LFS.

The tank is basically just one big rock right now. I have pink, green and yellow zoos (just small frags), the xenia, and some big green mushrooms. I'll try to send a pic tomorrow when the lights are back on.

As far as water changes -- they are my new philosophy. I am planning to do weeklies on my 175 as well, once I get it set up. I think water changes fix a whole host of problems, and if you get an efficient system set up, they aren't much effort.

[::pete::]

As far as water changes -- they are my new philosophy. I am planning to do weeklies on my 175 as well, once I get it set up. I think water changes fix a whole host of problems, and if you get an efficient system set up, they aren't much effort.

I agree and have been doing weekly water changes for the past year.

[CD]

and if you get an efficient system set up, they aren't much effort.


Heh...that's the key right there. Our water changes used to be a PITA until we got a couple of those big white plastic barrels that TimM is selling over in the for sale forum. Now, it's a *breeze*, and takes all of about 20 minutes. We normally do our water changes about every two weeks, but step it up to once a week on occasion - like when we added our Hippo tang, I was having to overfeed the tank for about a week to get her to eat. Had a small cyano outbreak after that, but it's almost gone now.

Wendy

[Andrew]

For Zenia, I believe adequate alkalinity and nutrient levels are much more important than slightly high temp. or iodine additions IME. My tank averages 82 - 84 F* and sometimes up to 85 in the summer, and 78-82 in winter with no adverse affects by zenia. I have never added iodine, other than what's in my water changes (every few weeks) from Kent salt.

(Like Gary said some can't keep it alive and others can't get rid of it)

Hope this is helpful.

Andrew

[Ram_Puppy]

well, you all know my temps have been skyrocketing lately do to the addition of a MAG 5 in my little 30 gallon tank (that is changing tomorrow!) but for 4 weeks plus now my little pom pom xenisas have been pulsing like mad, and growing faster than usual in a tank that is hitting 88F every day, Yesterday it hit 90F (At which point I turned off the halide and cranked down the AC in the house even further. but the xenia has actually grown in two new spots recently, time for a fragging. :)

[Ross]

my tank gets up to 86 sometimes and xenia is going crazy.....