The Great Xenia Debate

[Anonymous]

phyo = phytoplankton, zooplankton, and/or filter feeding invert food
long term success = 1+ years and colony growth

I have a hard time believing that xenia are purely photsynthetic based on their physiology.

 

[Anonymous]

I kept xenia in a 55 gallon tank, with a seaclone skimmer, PC lighting and kalkwasser. No filter feeder food, zooplankton, ect. just occasional frozen food for the fish.

Every two to four weeks, I took about 15-20 colonies into the LFS and traded them for untold riches in livestock and equipment. This doesn't even count the xenia I periodically ripped out by the handful and flushed because I wasn't in the mood to go to the LFS, or the colonies sold to other reefers directly. The tank was completely overrun with xenia despite the fact that I was removing it so frequently.

I was harvesting xenia by the boatload for well over a year until I had to take the tank down to move.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't have long term experience but my 4 months having mine, they are doing well. Fully extended and pulsing like crazy.

I dose reef solution and phytoplankton. I don't dose b/c of Xenia though.

They are coming along quite beautifully though!

 

[fungia]

my xenia grows like weeds and i dont dose phyto.

 

[Anonymous]

Well I've had long term "success" in that I've successfully kept it from growing out of control

You're right now about the light only, that applies to most corals, however a "dirty" tank usually takes care of the food aspect of things for soft corals. I'm unsure if they can eat phyto though.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think they eat phyto but mine grew like crazy in a tank where I dosed phyto for other critters. :lol: They also grew outta control in a tank where I didn't dose.

They are hard to kill and repro like crazy if they like the tank conditions. They are great "early warnings" for something about to crash in a tank as they will be the first to react when parameters change.

 

[MartinE]

My answer would be yes and no. When I did not have any fish I dosed phyto., but now that I have fish I do not (uneaten food and waste feed them).

 

[pwj1286]

Light and flow. Phyto is not a significant factor for growth. Never dosed phyto in my tank's life.
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Honda XR600

 

[ReefSanctuary]

i voted

 

[pcardone]

4=5 years no pyto. 2 years no iodine