Xenia sp.

[Samper]

I'd like to know as much information as I can about Xenia sp. Info such as where it's found in nature. Nutrient levels of the water, depth, natural predators etc would all be great. I've noticed quite a bit about it since I started growing a bunch of it and would like some help backing up a few thoughts I have on em.

Here are some things I've noticed
1. In higher light the stalks get longer for some reason or maybe I'm wrong....my nano gets natural sunlight for part of the day and a 65w loa above it and the stalks are very short but in the display under a halide they are very long. I can only assume that what natural sunlight my nano gets is still much better than being under a halide all day.
2. Pulsing I'm positive is in relation to the Ph but also have noticed this. At night mine pulse faster...if I introduce something like Cyclop Ez the pulsing definately increases. Do they actually eat? I've never seen one eat something even what gets caught in the tentacles and if not why would there be a reaction like that.
3. Every patch I've ever seen has either been a. at the highest point or b. heading toward the highest point it can get to.
3. This coral can live almost anywhere...I have it growing in a fuge, in a mangrove tank..very high nutrients, in my display...very low nutrients and I've even seen them grow and thrive in a cycling tank. I do think that higher nutrients are better for it though.


I know it's not the most interesting coral but I like it...I wouldn't put it in a display again though without a way to control it better. Also if any of you have any of the more intersting colors or just odd growing ones I'm interested in buying some.

[kevinpo]

Here is an article that may answer some of your questions.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.htm

HTH,
Kevin

[SurfStone]

Xenia are awesome corals to have they can act like a natural filter they use nitrates and yes they filter feed that is exactly why they pulse. natural sunlight does help them some. most corals feed at night that is why they seem to pusle more than in the day. xenia grows any where and everywhere and some people even consider it a nusiance when it starts to take over their tank it is very hardy if you learn to frag it you can sell it and make lots of money. good luck

[Samper]

Everything I've read suggests they don't have a way of digesting anything...and that light is the key to this corals existence.
They thrive so well in almost anything that I can't tell which of my two systems it does better in. The established one with a 4 degree temp swing that gets fed and metal halide lighting or the just got done cycling one with a 6 degree temp swing that I never feed, gets indirect sunlight half the day and also has an LOA 60w bulb directly above.

My colonies sometimes pulse all night but then again sometimes they shrink down towards the end of the photoperiod and stay that way until morning.

Why?

[Poseidon]

LOL Who knows for sure, but I can tell you that my Xenia grew like MAD when I was feeding the SeaChem bio Calcium stuff.

[SurfStone]

Everything I've read suggests they don't have a way of digesting anything...and that light is the key to this corals existence.
They thrive so well in almost anything that I can't tell which of my two systems it does better in. The established one with a 4 degree temp swing that gets fed and metal halide lighting or the just got done cycling one with a 6 degree temp swing that I never feed, gets indirect sunlight half the day and also has an LOA 60w bulb directly above.

My colonies sometimes pulse all night but then again sometimes they shrink down towards the end of the photoperiod and stay that way until morning.

Why?

that is thier natural behavior they need to rest sometime too. xenia are a very hardy coral at home their only draw back is high growth rate and the ship really poor. as long as you have some planktonic organisms xenia will be fine. even if you never feed them.