Xenia care

Xenia. Xenia sp.

Xenia species often referred in the hobby just as Xenia or with a preceding descriptive term for each general variety (ie Pulsating, Clumping). In some Xenia sp. the corals pulse opening and closing the polyps rhythmically. The pulsing is more pronounce in lower water flows and often is quite exited after adding food or additives to the aquarium.

Aquarium care.

Xenia’s, love light deriving most of their nutrition through the zooxanthellae algae that live within the xenia's tissue. Med - high to high end lighting is required.

Trace elements and nutrients are adsorbed by Xenias. Most of these nutrients are dissolved nutrients replenished through feeding fish and regular water changes in our reef aquariums. Iodine is recommended to be dosed additionally especially if a large colony is housed.

Positioning pulsating Xenia in a lower flow area of the aquarium will encourage it to pulse. Positioning need also consider that a Xenia can grow very fast, so regular harvesting will be required to prevent it from overgrowing other inhabitants.

Feeding.

No direct feeding is required Xenias have no digestive tract.

Propagation.

Propagation is simple for xenia’s, the fast growth rate dictates that they need to be harvested regular to prevent them from over running the aquarium.

By placing small rocks around the base of the colony new growth can be harvested as it encrusts these rocks. Separate the new growth with scissors. If the main colony trunk is large, to reduce it simply cut it off at the required height it will quickly regenerate a new head.

Attachment is as quick as 48 hours for the old head to a new substrate. Tooth picks are often used to spear the xenia and hold it in position till it attaches. Alternatively to produce lots of colonies the old head can be diced into several pieces. These pieces can be placed into a tray of gravel; some netting is placed over the top of the tray to stop the fragments floating out, leave them for a week to naturally attach.

A pictorial on the method we use at Oceanarium to propagate pulsating xenia.
	Selecting the suitable brood stock is important, brood stock should be healthy and actively growing. Unhealthy brood stock will find it difficult to recover from the trauma of harvest and the fragments will be of low quality, reflected in the success rate of surviving fragments. A colony already growing rapidly is demonstrating the suitability of the aquarium system to propagate the species.
	Always wear eye protection and wash hands straight after handling the coral, avoid rubbing you eyes and mouth. Sharp scissors or a very sharp blade is the best way to cut this coral.
	Cut the colony over a tray containing water from the aquarium system the coral came from. This avoids any risk of shock through changes in water chemistry, salinity or temperature.
	Remove complete heads in one clean cut, the parent colony will quickly regenerate a new head and the fragments are easier to re attach.
	By removing each head about half way along means the fragments will be ready to be sold around the same time your ready for the next harvest from the brood colony.
	Keeping the heads in the tray of water enables you to take your time and not rush the process. Even stop for a coffee break, but remember to wash your hands before eating that cookie!
	We use stainless steel wire to skewer each head, we find this method very good. Elastic bands if too tight cut through the frag and too loose they may float away. Tooth picks can be hard to fix in location and the xenia may be hard to remove from the tooth pick latter causing trauma to the frag.
	Take a big enough bite with the wire so the frag will be held by a decent bit of meat.
	Wrap the wire so the frag is firmly held in place, then firmly fold the wire back on its self to lock it in position. Latter removal of the wire is quite easy, after a few days when the coral has firmly attached simply straighten the wire and slide it out.
	Its always good practice to grow out the coral in the same water it came from. Good water movement will dislodge any excess mucus and help prevent any infections on newly cut surfaces.
	It takes around 8 weeks for the frags to be a reasonable size for our Pulsating xenia, this coral is the quickest growth of the xenia or for that matter any coral we have!