Xenia pulsing

MarinePope · 06-05-2008, 11:06 PM

Can anyone tell me what it is that makes Xenia's pulse so well?

MarinePope · 06-05-2008, 11:16 PM

Sorry, I'm new to this site. I just realized there was a dedicated section just for corals. Don't know how to move this thread.

vdituri · 06-05-2008, 11:22 PM

A moderator can move it.

Not sure on the pulsing thing. Read somewhere that it was attributed to iodine.
I tried dosing, but I haven't seen any difference with or without dosing. Sometimes mine do and sometimes mine don't.
Not ALL species pulse by the way.

MarinePope · 06-05-2008, 11:29 PM

Hmm..I'll try the Iodine. We just got a frag of it a week ago and they pulse lightly. We seen a big Xenia coral at a different store that was pulsing non-stop, back to back. It was beautiful....like watching fireworks going off. I just wished I would have asked them about it. I probably will if we go back there, but I was hoping someone here could tell me the secret.

vdituri · 06-05-2008, 11:32 PM

Make sure to get an iodine test kit before you start dosing.
Iodine is a trace element, but in higher doses it is toxic.
Like I said, it was just something I read. I can't prove it.
Mine pulse irregardless. You get trace amounts of iodine from water changes with fresh salt.

Dentoid · 06-05-2008, 11:33 PM

Nobody really knows why they pulse. There have been many different theories such as water flow, iodine usage, lighting and as a feeding response. I would not take dosing iodine lightly. It can be toxic! Most salt mixes are high in iodine and routine water changes, weekly, will generally supply enough iodine.

MarinePope · 06-05-2008, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dentoid

Nobody really knows why they pulse. There have been many different theories such as water flow, iodine usage, lighting and as a feeding response. I would not take dosing iodine lightly. It can be toxic! Most salt mixes are high in iodine and routine water changes, weekly, will generally supply enough iodine.

Thanks. I'll be sure and test for it before dosing. Yeah, I've searched on the net to try and find the answer and I keep reading "nobody knows", but I was just hoping that someone, just someone might know.

Varga · 06-05-2008, 11:51 PM

no expert here, but I think they pulse when they're hungry. when I direct feed they slow down allot

MarinePope · 06-06-2008, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varga

no expert here, but I think they pulse when they're hungry. when I direct feed they slow down allot

What do you feed them and how often?

Varga · 06-06-2008, 12:08 AM

I stopped feeding them since they take over and I dont have them anymore.

they loved eating coral frenzy, they close up on it, then they dont paulse for a while. I think paulsing is how they catch their food

corrado007 · 06-06-2008, 01:31 AM

The pulsing also depends on the variety of xenia. I'm no expert either but I've had a bit of experience with them. I've got 2 varieties with very different characteristics. One variety I have is the pom pom xenia which is light pink and does extremely well under less than perfect water conditions. I have them in my wife's 26 gal cube with no skimmer or mechanical filtration other than a filter sponge. I only change that water 1x/month and the xenias are going crazy, spreading all over the place. They don't do well in heavy flow and actually prefer very low flow. The ones that are multiplying/splitting the fastest pulse more, are nearer the 2x 32W PC lights, and are in very little flow. I don't feed them anything at all and they are growing like weeds. These pom poms don't do very well in my 90gal tank which has 2x250w halides, a big skimmer, sump/fuge, and water changes every week or two. All my other corals are doing great in the 90 but the pom pom xenias just get by, they don't seem to grow much at all.
I've got some swaying arm xenias in the 90gal that are a tan/brown color, have longer arms, and don't pulse much at all. They are doing extremely well in the 90gal and spread quickly. They have fairly high flow on them and seem to really like it.
Not really sure if this helps but I figured sharing my experience could give you some more insight into your question. Hope it helped.

Oh, one more thing. I've dosed Lugol's solution concentrated iodine and gone with out dosing it and don't see any noticeable difference either way. I'd guess there's plenty of iodine in the salt mix as mentioned above as long as you do water changes now and again.

rmlevasseur · 06-06-2008, 09:28 PM

Mine stopped pulsing when it was shaded, and returned when in brighter light.

funkpolice · 06-06-2008, 11:54 PM

Mine are very inconsistant. The red sea xenia pulses fastest and with the most intensity just before the lights go off, or when I turn off the powerheads. The brown xenia also pulses faster when the powerheads are off. Sometimes, for no reason I can observe they start pulsing super fast, they look like blinking lights. Sorry I can't help you, but I would wait a couple weeks at least before you start dosing iodine.
bill

cheebman · 06-07-2008, 09:30 PM

i just keep perfect water conditions and suppliment the tank 2 times a week with a littile zooxayaline (dont know how to spell it..) ive read that some xenia's dont pulse.. they dont know why they do or dont.. ive heard that there really sensitive to water conditions.. i was told that they'll be the first ones to show signs of being unhappy in the tank.. hope this helps.. mine pulse away..

06-05-2008, 11:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
MarinePope Tubeworm Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 31 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Xenia pulsing Can anyone tell me what it is that makes Xenia's pulse so well?

06-05-2008, 11:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
MarinePope Tubeworm Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 31 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing Sorry, I'm new to this site. I just realized there was a dedicated section just for corals. Don't know how to move this thread.

06-05-2008, 11:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
vdituri Excellent Guesser :D Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento California Posts: 6,244 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing A moderator can move it. Not sure on the pulsing thing. Read somewhere that it was attributed to iodine. I tried dosing, but I haven't seen any difference with or without dosing. Sometimes mine do and sometimes mine don't. Not ALL species pulse by the way. __________________ Victor ----- People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

06-05-2008, 11:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
MarinePope Tubeworm Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 31 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing Hmm..I'll try the Iodine. We just got a frag of it a week ago and they pulse lightly. We seen a big Xenia coral at a different store that was pulsing non-stop, back to back. It was beautiful....like watching fireworks going off. I just wished I would have asked them about it. I probably will if we go back there, but I was hoping someone here could tell me the secret.

06-05-2008, 11:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
vdituri Excellent Guesser :D Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento California Posts: 6,244 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing Make sure to get an iodine test kit before you start dosing. Iodine is a trace element, but in higher doses it is toxic. Like I said, it was just something I read. I can't prove it. Mine pulse irregardless. You get trace amounts of iodine from water changes with fresh salt. __________________ Victor ----- People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

06-05-2008, 11:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
Varga Manta Ray Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 3,355 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing no expert here, but I think they pulse when they're hungry. when I direct feed they slow down allot __________________ Varga's Cube http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...on-cube-5.html

06-06-2008, 12:08 AM	#10 (permalink)
Varga Manta Ray Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 3,355 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing I stopped feeding them since they take over and I dont have them anymore. they loved eating coral frenzy, they close up on it, then they dont paulse for a while. I think paulsing is how they catch their food __________________ Varga's Cube http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...on-cube-5.html

06-06-2008, 01:31 AM	#11 (permalink)
corrado007 Plate Coral Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sacramento, Ca. Posts: 764 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Xenia pulsing The pulsing also depends on the variety of xenia. I'm no expert either but I've had a bit of experience with them. I've got 2 varieties with very different characteristics. One variety I have is the pom pom xenia which is light pink and does extremely well under less than perfect water conditions. I have them in my wife's 26 gal cube with no skimmer or mechanical filtration other than a filter sponge. I only change that water 1x/month and the xenias are going crazy, spreading all over the place. They don't do well in heavy flow and actually prefer very low flow. The ones that are multiplying/splitting the fastest pulse more, are nearer the 2x 32W PC lights, and are in very little flow. I don't feed them anything at all and they are growing like weeds. These pom poms don't do very well in my 90gal tank which has 2x250w halides, a big skimmer, sump/fuge, and water changes every week or two. All my other corals are doing great in the 90 but the pom pom xenias just get by, they don't seem to grow much at all. I've got some swaying arm xenias in the 90gal that are a tan/brown color, have longer arms, and don't pulse much at all. They are doing extremely well in the 90gal and spread quickly. They have fairly high flow on them and seem to really like it. Not really sure if this helps but I figured sharing my experience could give you some more insight into your question. Hope it helped. Oh, one more thing. I've dosed Lugol's solution concentrated iodine and gone with out dosing it and don't see any noticeable difference either way. I'd guess there's plenty of iodine in the salt mix as mentioned above as long as you do water changes now and again. __________________ Justin _________________________________ Please watch out for motorcycles (look twice, it could save a life). 90gal mixed reef w/40gal sump/fuge, ATO, Octopus NW-200 Skimmer, 2x 250W 12k Reeflux MH & 220W VHO actinics, Koralia #4 & #3, Mag 9.5 return, Aquacontroller jr., LR & LS, and community fish (Yellow Assessor, Bluespot Jawfish, paired Yellow Watchman Goby & Red Striped Pistol Shrimp, paired O Clowns, 1 Green Chromis, Yellow Clown Goby, Scooter Blenny, and a Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse). updated 7/11/09 Here's my 90gal Chronicle (Lots of pictures and DIY)

06-06-2008, 09:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Acropora Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,849 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Xenia pulsing Mine stopped pulsing when it was shaded, and returned when in brighter light. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

06-06-2008, 11:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
funkpolice Reef Lobster Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Orland Park IL Posts: 1,396 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Xenia pulsing Mine are very inconsistant. The red sea xenia pulses fastest and with the most intensity just before the lights go off, or when I turn off the powerheads. The brown xenia also pulses faster when the powerheads are off. Sometimes, for no reason I can observe they start pulsing super fast, they look like blinking lights. Sorry I can't help you, but I would wait a couple weeks at least before you start dosing iodine. bill

06-07-2008, 09:30 PM	#14 (permalink)
cheebman Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 72 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Xenia pulsing i just keep perfect water conditions and suppliment the tank 2 times a week with a littile zooxayaline (dont know how to spell it..) ive read that some xenia's dont pulse.. they dont know why they do or dont.. ive heard that there really sensitive to water conditions.. i was told that they'll be the first ones to show signs of being unhappy in the tank.. hope this helps.. mine pulse away.. __________________ *28gal BowFront Reef Tank* 250watt MetalHalide w/ 2 65watt Atinic blue PC's w/ 8 LED's 75gal capacity wet/dry w/prefilter/overflow box magdrive 700 Hydor Koralia 1 coralife super skimmer (protien skimmer) 23 pounds of live rock 15 pounds live sand --- 2 clown fish --- 1) purple/orange ridicola mush, 3) frilly-lavender w/ green tips mush's, Burgandy w/ green mouth Zoo's, Purple/pink Zoo's, 2) medium silver branching xenia, 1) small pom pom xenia, green star polyps, Pink devils hand Leather, 1) Small green brain, 2) Green stipped mushrooms, 2) Huge Umbrella Mushrooms, 2 tipped torch coral 2in each, 3 Tipped Green/purple Frog Spawn-Huge, 1 feather duster, 4 Purple Bumpy Mushrooms

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