Xenia Question

[Hez]

I have had two types of Xenia in my tank for over 6 months.
1) Red Sea Aquacultured
2) Silver Branch Aquacultured

For some reason my Silver Branch has spread upwards through my tank but has shrunk in size and in general does not look healthy. In contrast, My Red Sea Xenia is thriving and happy.

All water parameters have been stable. Does anyone have any thoughts why this would happen? Any helpful suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Hez

 

[taikonaut]

The silver Xenia may need more light :?

 

[mac_guy]

What kind of lighting do you have on the tank now?

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the lighting...the silver branch in general is less hardier than the red sea..however aquacultured species over all tend to be hardier than their ocean captured counterparts...just some food for thought....if they both have been in your tank for six months then some thing has changed, obviously...less likey light but still need to look into it..what kind of lighting are you using and how old are the bulbs??? double check and triple check your parameters...

 

[investigator1]

Are you dosing iodine? Xenia really needs good iodine supplementation to be happy in my experience.

 

[Anonymous]

i've seen too many xenia's crash in systems getting dosed w/iodine, and too many thrive where no iodine supplement was used, to believe that dosing iodine is a determining factor in succeeding w/xenia

some other contributing factors can be : competition between the two species in your tank, or a change in any parameter of your water chemistry

the first course of action i'd try is a series of nice large water changes, making sure the new sw is properly 'corrected' for Ca/alk/mag/pH, etc
before it's put in the tank

you may also try a simple relocation of the colony that's fareing poorly, sometimes something as simple as that does the trick

lighting is something to consider as a main factor, as those above have already stated

 

[taikonaut]

>... Xenia really needs good iodine supplementation ...

I would beg to differ.

Remember, two Xenia in the same tank, one do well, the other is not. Unless there is a Iodine gradient due to insufficient water flow, as in some water layers several thousand meters under Antartica, or due to some biological mechanism that enable one to soak up all while leave nothing for the other, this is not relevant here.

 

[Mikef1]

I never dose Iodine and my xenia is thriving out of control. I just do frequent water changes. Personaly I dont like dosing Iodine or strontium, I dont find that it is needed.

 

[Hez]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.