Pumping xenia

[sean1]

I have a xenia that doesn't pump but I would like it too. Are pumping xenias a seperate species and if not is there any way I can make my xenia start to pump?

[Fat Surgeon]

Unfortunately, Xenia will usually pulse when you are not looking:p

j/k.....If it isnt pulsing, try some iodine in the water. Xenia love the addition of Iodine, just dont over do it. Not guaranteed this will work, but it may. Higher light areas and medium flow along with the Iodine do well for mine. Xenia will not pulse all the time. However, it is widely speculated that they expend gases when they do pulse. Given the complexity, no one in the field that studies them directly knows for sure. Just keep staring at them and one day you'll see them going nuts. ;)

[danielboun]

I have the same problem, I brought mine home from the local fish store for the second time, it did't pump and started melting away by the 4th day. but on my second xenia I figured out why it wasn't pumping, my salinity was at 1.020. My hydrometer was off calibrated by .004. i was given a false reading. All these time i thought my salinity was at 1.024:(

The moment I increase the salinity, it started pumping.:)

hope this helps,

[55semireef]

what do you mean by pumping?

[sufunk]

Different strains will definitely pump different. I have one strain that pumps like mad. The other looks exactly the same but I got it at a different store and it pumps literally like 1 time per minute if that.

[55semireef]

What does pumping mean sufunk?

[goda]

mine dosnt pump or pulse during the day
during the day it is all sprawled out and long stringy stalks.

then when i dim the lights to 50 percent ( dimmers kick but)
the poplyps long stalkss dissapear and they become close together and start pulsing like crazy!!!. then at night they slow down)
tyr looking at them at night or simulating sun up sun down

[sean1]

I added iodine and put it in a medium flow area rather than the low flow area they were in and they started pumping but only at night. And to answer semireef's question xenia have an ability to rapidly open and close there polyps and are often called "pumping xenia."

[55semireef]

Whats the purpose of pumping?

[DesertBandits]

semireef: no one knows why they do it yet, not even the researchers.

[whiteshark]

Well, I have my xenia in fairly low flow and it pulses like crazy. This seems to support the theory that they are expelling the byproducts of phtotsynthesis when pulsing. Some other people I know have xenia in thier tanks in more direct flow and it pulses much less. Why should it bother pulsing if it has strong current to remove waste for it? :) Maybe less flow will make it pulse more.

[55semireef]

How does it pulse? Like what does it look like?

[phljess]

Its polyps open and close in a rhythm, it is really cool to watch. Xenia are really neat corals. Not all types pulse the same or at the same speed. They are also suppose to be good nutrient exporters. There are alot of people who use them in their refugium. In the wild Xenia seem to thrive in waters that are high in nutrients.

[whiteshark]

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g282/whiteshark_2006/P5220012.jpg

See how some polyps are open and some are closed? They constantly open and close all day. They do this at about a 2 sec. interval (1 pulse every 2 seconds). Some xenia pulse slower, some dont at all. As stated before, the exact reason for this is unknown.

[whiteshark]

You beat me to it phljess! At least I have a pic :P. :lol:

[enemec1]

whats the deal with mine?
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/107617mini-100_1278.JPG

[enemec1]

they had nice long trunks and know they have shriveld up to nothing. my water peramters are right on.

[whiteshark]

What kind of lighting do you have? Flow? What exactly do you mean by "params are right on". Can you provide numbers?

[phljess]

I do not think your Xenia is the same type as Whitesharks, It looks like silver elongota to me. This might be a reason why it is acting strange. However, it should not be shriveling up. You may need to move it to an area with a little more flow and more lighting, this might help it. Also check you SG, Xenia seem to like about 1.025. Another thing you should consider is where the Xenia came from. Alot of people have trouble keeping Xenia when it is first, second and even third generation. If you can find someone who has an old strain that has been through numerous tanks your chances of successfully keeping it a doubled.

[whiteshark]

Yeah, it certainly isn't the same. How long has it been shriveled up? You indicated that it had opened up before and is now closed. Mine periodically closes up into a small ball or gets droopy, but not for long.

[phljess]

It also sometimes shrivels up when it is spreading to a new rock.

[suznf]

Xenia seems to be very sensitive to salinity levels and I have found the pulsing to be more consistent when in less flow as others have said. Try turning off your pumps for 10 minutes and watch, also mine are more active in evening even with lights on. good luck

[55semireef]

I am definately getting Xenia now. I wonder what there prices go for?

[enemec1]

it has only been shriveled up for 3 days. sg is1.024 ph 8.0 amonia 0, nitrate0

[55semireef]

Do you have a really good protein skimmer? What kind of lighting do you have?

[sean1]

I have mine in a 2.5 gallon nano, so i just change water instead of skimming. I have a 13 wat compact flourescent . When I bought it it was about three inches tall and $20.00. However, it had been aquacultured and I assume a wild specimen would be cheaper.

[enemec1]

2 175w MH, and a burlin classic.

[enemec1]

I also have a 20L fuge

[whiteshark]

Mine started with this bout 3 months ago... got the frag for 15 bux or somethin like that.


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g282/whiteshark_2006/HPIM0180.jpg

It has even grown a little scince that earlier pic was taken, which was maybe two weeks ago.

2x150W HQI, 2x120W PCs'. I have mine in low flow right now.

enemec, I don't see anything wrong with your params. What are you using to test salinity? Hydrometers are known to be inaccurate. My xenia was very unhappy, and I actuallly lost a small stalk a few months ago. Everything seemed fine. Then I bought a refractometer and it said my salinity was 1.031! I brought the salinity down slowly and now it grows like a weed.

FYI, my water is not "pristine". My trate levels often hover around 5-10 and I do have detectable phosphates. I have heard of some people having trouble with xenia in very clean water.

[55semireef]

Thats what I heard. I am going to have a max bioload in my tank just for my xenia when I get it. The Xenia should benefit from the unclean water and the Xenia will help export nutrients.

[sean1]

Make sure you don't over do it on the bioload semireef.

[55semireef]

I know my limits of what I can and can't do but thanks for looking out.