Xenia question

[Bluetangclan]

Ok I am not a new person i just have been ansent from this board for awhile. Disregard the 1st post thing heheh. I notice there are alot less people than there used to be, what happened?
Anywho onto my real question, I picked up some nice pieces of Xenia elonogata(sp). Is this normally a pulsing xenia? Mine looks healthy but it doesnt pulse. Maybe still getting used to the tank? Its been in the tank for 4 days now. Alk is 12, PH is 8.2 everything else is good I think. Anyone have any ideas? The Xenia is in medium current midway up the the water column in good light.

 

[brandon4291]

Hello BlueTang,

# of people logged on varies different times of the day. Lately Ive had no trouble finding tons of other people who, like myself, should be working but can't resist reefchat.
I have some limited experience with your situation. I can say for sure you can get the elongata to pump, but could not say for certain every stalk of them will. For some reason, xenia in my reefbowl (Avatar/right side) just swayed in the current. It has relatively low circulation BTW. The colony still had contractile abilities and had healthy polyps, but was long and wavy. it reproduced as usual and needed regular pruning each month.

The colony in the other pico reef pulses heavily and is a clone of this one, but there is much more intense lighting and current is stronger in the smaller reef. After keeping xenia in pico reefs for a while now, Im begining to feel more and more certain these are the two main factors in eliciting the pumping activity.

 

[Bluetangclan]

OK, yeah mine looks very healthy, but like yours pretty much just sways. If something does pulse its the smaller new polyps near the base. Mine is in medium to low current, I had them in higher current but it seemed to be blowing around madly and not given the chance to pulse. As long as it continues to grow, I havent had it long enough to notice growth yet although there are a bunch of tiny stalks near the bases of each. Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

BlueTang,

I believe xenia like a high pH and will pulse faster at 8.3 or 8.4. They also like cooler tank temperatures; no more than 78. Hope that helps.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah....they will also pulse faster in lower currents. Expirement with that and see what happens. And remember to never change your tank parameters too quickly. Xenia are very sensitive to that.

 

[Anonymous]

Many parameter contribute to rather a Xenia will pulse. What bigchuck33 suggested won't hurt, but don't be disappointed if you pretty much tried everything under the sun, and it still don't pulse.