Xenia Split

[CAVINCA]

ok so my xenia has outgrown its plug and is splitting onto a rock... my question is after it splits, would i be able to remove it from the rock and place it in the 55 or somewhere else in my tank? how hard would it be and how do i go about doing it?

[JP 1230]

You can just pull it from the rock once the split your seeing completes....placing it elsewhere is very possible but re-attachment will depend on your water flow. If you have a place that you have in mind where you could wedge it in or secure it somehow....usually Xenia re-attaches fairly quickly. Yanking it off the rock won't kill it.

I've watched Xenia grow like a crazy weed in my 12g for the past 2 years.... I started with a single piece about 1/2 inch in diameter and 3 inches tall. I've since had to throw away pounds of the stuff because I have no where to put it! As beautiful as the big pieces are....Xenia has kind of become a pain in my ass.

It can split, then grow, split again, and again.... I've even seen Xenia twist itself up until a chunk breaks off, then float around the tank until it found a place to attach.

On a few occasions I've just let pieces of non attached xenia float around until they found a place to attach.

[BigAl07]

Xenia is a BREEZE to work with (if you don't mind the smell).

I've cut it, yanked it, torn it, wedged it and of course glued it.

If you want it somewhere else you'll want to "Attach" it and super glue works best for me. Remember it's a "Slimey" critter so don't be afraid to really make a "Glob" of glue for the base to sit in. Also keep in mind it's very "Mobile" and will go where/when it wants. If it wants to move from where you have it, it will "slime off" the glue and magically walk/float to where it likes it better.

I've actually grown to LIKE this coral because it makes $$ for my tank.

Good luck and HAPPY XENIA FARMING! Wash your hands WELL!!

[Tru2nr]

so let me get this straight i can just take a knife and cut into any part of xenia to frag it? if thats the case ima gonna start doing that with my xenia hehe hasn't gotten big enough that its a huge pain and im having to prune it but i know it will

[djbacon]

i my pom pom xenia

[BigAl07]

I've done this:

a) cut mine in two directly from top to bottom
b) let a stalk grow and attach to two different rocks and took the razor and cut it between the two
c) cut individual small stalks off of a larger one and glued to frag disks
d) sliced some from the glass and glued to frag disks

and all of the above have been glued to rock, plugs and even GLASS in my tanks. It does stink BAD and when I cut it both pieces release some type of "Milky" substance into the water column and shrivle for a few days. Just before I frag them and for a week afterwards I run a HEAVY bag of carbon because I'm not sure what the "Milky substance" is and not willing to risk it.

Good luck and happy Xenia-ing

[reefer4200]

Originally Posted by djbacon

i my pom pom xenia

me too it always makes me smile

[CAVINCA]

AWESOME!!! that helps a lot.... my first coral in the 55 will most likely be a xenia thanks again guys.

[BigAl07]

Ok here is a pic of one of mine here in the office... It was originally on the rock to the left... it has over the course of a couple of weeks "Leaned" over to the right and taken "root" on that rock. Each day the "connecting" tissue gets smaller and smaller. I'll TRY to catch a pic right before it breaks free..

[T_kuemmet]

its amazing how fast they can replicate and how much regenerative abilities they have. a little piece of flesh can grow polyps in days!

[CAVINCA]

So its not reproducing its moving?

[T_kuemmet]

OMG they will practically walk across aquarium rockwork and leave little pieces behind that turn in to new xenia stalks! kind of annoying because then it disrupts our perfect aquascaping

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by CAVINCA

So its not reproducing its moving?

Carl actually BOTH!! It usually leaves a tiny bit behind (you'll see in pics below) but the majority of it does literally relocate!

Here are some more pics of this same one....

Here is it Monday morning 4.28.2008


and here it is today 4.30.2008



as you can see it "cut itself" leaving a small "nub" in the original location. It does this all the time. Keep in mind this is "Pom Pom" Xenia so even though they BOTH do this it's more evident in the Pom variety because the tentacles are all located high on a singular stalk.

[CAVINCA]

awesome pics Al... Yeah mines still stretchin. Wont be long before i have a new guy to trade off or put in the 55.

[BigAl07]

They are like Rabbits/Borg! Where you have few... you will soon have MANY!!

(Didn't someone have a "Borg" smiley? )