Blue Cespitularia (Blue Xenia) Melting, any thoughts? Please Advise....

[dakota9]

A few weeks ago, I bought some Blue Cespitularia (Blue Xenia) from Jenn. It looked like it was acclimating well to my tank with some minor reccesion in the first couple of days, but appeared to be thriving....



Now, not so much.....

It's about half the size it was when I bought it (which was a pricey coral considering my usual cheap tastes).

My set-up;

30 Oceanic cube
Tunze 6045
Tunze 9002 Skimmer
Coralife 150 watt clamp-on

Various softies
LPS
Two Clowns (oblivious to the Xenia, not a problem)
Two RBTAs

I have a second tank I can try to move this coral to.

That set-up is;

24 AquaPod
25 lbs of LR
Stock light
Skimmerless

Two Clowns
Huge GBTA (thanks Bud)
Few softies
1 LPS (Chili coral that seems to be doing well).

I'm considering moving this coral to the dirty tank, but that could be the end of it since it's already stressed. Leaving it just might mean that it withers away via benign neglect.

What would you guys do?


Charlie had also given me a small frag of this coral earlier in the year, but it melted within the first two days in my 30 cube, I was thinking it was just very small and didn't like the transition (big thanks to you Charlie, as I certainly appreciated that coral.)

The only time I had this coral thrive was in my 14g biocube with a piece of Blue Xenia I got from Jin when he was still active in the club.

 

[hackman72]

I always had the worst time trying to keep xenia. I have since found out that as pH drops they start to melt. Might check and see if that's low and go from there. I've been told 8.3 makes 'em happy.

 

[jnbrex]

I have noticed a correlation in how much iodine I dose and the amount the xenia pulses... maybe xenia uses iodine as a nutrient?

 

[dakota9]

Well, Blue Xenia, from what I've read, isn't really xenia, only related.

To be honest, I can't really tell you any hard numbers regarding my tank, as I typically don't test the water.

I do a slightly better than 5gal waterchange bi-weekly with Seachem Salinity salt, have a lightly stocked 30 cube with 25 to 30 pounds LR and feed very sparingly.... I run Purigen, Phos-gard and carbon. Typically, there's nothing much to test for. No other livestock not thriving......

 

[dakota9]

Yours was out of the light, this one is in light, but off to one side of the tank. You know, these Clamp-on MH fixtures, the PAR goes down significantly as you move further from the centerpoint directly under the bulb.

Should I move it to the shade? That would be the exact spot yours melted in?:unsure:

 

[jonathan]

My Xenia used to thrive but has been dying back since I started running Phosban and a second skimmer. I am almost to the point of starting a separate system for the dirty water lovin' softies and continue down the low nutrient path in the main tank for SPS.

 

[jennm]

FWIW I still have the other one and it's fine... and that specimen is/was farm-raised... and as such a bit sturdier than wild-harvested.

Hate to hear it's not doing well... hope you figure it out - I'm not sure what could be wrong with it.

Jenn

 

[dakota9]

JennM;502743 wrote: FWIW I still have the other one and it's fine... and that specimen is/was farm-raised... and as such a bit sturdier than wild-harvested.

Hate to hear it's not doing well... hope you figure it out - I'm not sure what could be wrong with it.

Jenn

Jenn,

You're the answer girl...... How could you not possess the majic bullet?

Come up off the answer! I know you got it!!!!!! LOL

 

[jennm]

It's the pixie dust... or something.

 

[buddyro]

If your talking about Cespitularia then they seem to like about medium flow and medium light. i don't think mine ever open up like xenia. they grew for awhile but i change set-ups and it was one that went...

 

[ralph atl]

try a different coral. final answer.

 

[dakota9]

I've decided to leave it pretty much where it is, but have moved it slightly more into the shade........ I'll let you know if it lives or dies