Trimming Xenia??

[dpotts]

I really need to trim back my PomPom Xenia. It's kind of isolated on a rock ledge but it's starting to lean out over the ledge and get a little too close to my frogspawn. I do not want to remove the rock and was wondering if I could just "cut/trim" the ones that are leaning out over the edge? I have no idea how to do that...will it affect the other xenia in the area? What do I do with the pieces that I trim off (I have no room in my tank right now for any "new" corals)?
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e208/gsdlvr/fish%20tank/kenyatree.jpg

[rpc]

I also have an overgrowth of xenia in my tank. To trim them back, I usually get them in the morning before the lights come on and they are more compact (not fully extended). I get my fingers as close to to the base of the stalk as I can and pry it up from one corner all the way across. Try to do this as quickly as possible because they will start to deflate as soon as they realize what you are trying to do and then it's impossible to get them off.

They will eventually grow back in the same place because of the remnants left behind from the pruning.

I have vowed to never have xenia in my display tank again because of their tenacious properties.

-Richard

[dpotts]

I love my Xenia and will be putting some in my new 90g once it's up and running. Could I cut it with something instead of using my fingers?

[Mr Cob]

I use a razor blade or sharp medical scissors.

Obviously the xenia will grow back if anything is left. You can also try scraping the area to try and remove any leftovers.

You can post that you have free xenia stalks and I bet you might be able to give a few away for free. You could also rubberband the remaining pieces to a rock and once they attach you could take them to your LFS. You need to have full healthy pieces though for store credit.

[dpotts]

So cutting some stalks off won't affect the rest of it?

[DrMark]

So cutting some stalks off won't affect the rest of it?

nope

[Robb_in_Austin]

I had some that was growing close to my hammer coral and the hammer stung the xenia. Biological control. Sort of. The xenia just moved out of the way.

Your frogspawn might have the same effect.

[dpotts]

Yeah but I'd rather not start a "war" in my tank!! Things have been going so well!!:)

[mikedelgado]

If you can get the foot off of the rock you can loosly tie the stalk to a piece of rock with fishing line and in a few hrs it will free itself from the fishing line and attach itsself to the rock. I have dont this at least a thousand times. Then you have a few days to a week to get rid of them while still stuck to the rock you put them on

[ErikH]

www.garf.org (http://www.garf.org)

Xenia is a weed. Put it on a rock all by itself, not touching any other rocks. Garf has LOADS of information about fragging.

[KWB]

I have had good luck with a pair of curved medical clamps, clamped as close to the base as possible and gently pulling, sometimes if it is not attatched too firmly the base will come with it . This also makes reattatching it easier because it remains in the clamp. All I do is run a needle and thread through the stalk with the clamp between the thread and the rock, tie it off without ripping through the tissue (clamp helps keep this from happening) and then unclamp and slide clamp from under thread, put it back in the aquarium in a lower flow area. About 4-6 days it is attatched and you can cut and remove the thread.

[dpotts]

So can you take the coral completely out the water while you attach it too the rock?

[ErikH]

Deanna, I take entire rocks out to frag that are covered in corals. I usually use a 5g bucket with a lid to rest them on while I frag. I use exacto knives often, new ones come with a blade that runs perpendicular to the handle. I use that blade because you can usually scrape the top layer of LR off underneath what you are fragging. It works well, and if you do it right, you will not need healing time with most corals like zoas. If you want that rock to be xenia free, stick it upside down in a dark corner of your sump or display, preferrably under sand....

[alton]

Frogspawn versus Xenia = Frogspawn Wins everytime. The nice thing to do is put some rocks next to the Xenia and in a couple days they will jump and then you can remove the rocks with Xenia and sell them to the fish store or put in your fuge. Be careful on cutting it, some pieces that float away will end up sticking to another rock and the growth will spread.

[brewercm]

I used to have the Xenia Elongata that would get out of hands. Best thing I found to get the whole stalk was to grab at the base with a pair of forceps and pull it off. That usually removed the whole thing and none would grow back, of course it spread like weeds other than that.

[dpotts]

Well I cut the 2 stalks that were causing me the stress and it went great. It was a lot easier than I imagined it would be!! I ended up using thread and sewing them to small rocks. I expected them to look bad for at least a few days but they are up and pulsing this morning. I have them put in the corner of my tank and will move them to my new 90g once it's up an running! Thanks for all your help!!

[Rock]

Weeds are just misplaced plants.

[dpotts]

I don't consider them weeds...I love them. I love watching them pulse and wave in the water flow. They were just starting to get too close to my other corals so they needed to be trimmed back a little. All is well now!!!

[jroescher]

Ewwww! I can smell it from here.

[brewercm]

I love the pom pom xenia, just not the elongata as it tends to take over a tank quickly like green start polyps can do (ie. they grow like weeds).

[Troutmasters02]

The best way of controlling xenias IMO is using your fingers as mentioned above but to keep the little pieces left behind from growing back (in what seems like two days). Get your self a new tooth brush and scrub the rock. Works really well and if you lose your grip it floats to the surface. :applause: