Wilting Xenia

[Anonymous]

For the last couple of days my Xenia has been steadily wilting, it is shrunk up and a darker brown than normal. My water parameters are as follows;

Calcium: 450
Alkalinity: 4.0 MilEq
Temp 80 degrees
1.024

I do not currently dose with Iodine, could this be the problem? I can't lay my hands on any for at least a week if that is the problem, would a water change using Reef Crystals help?

Any help would be appreciated?

Barry

 

[Anonymous]

Possible causes:

sudden change in param's (eg, salinity,pH...)
lack of iodine as you mention


Water change could help. 20-30%. My colony wilted 3 times in last 3 years. Water change seemed to do the trick. Took a few days to a week for it to rebound.

Good luck. HTH

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks,

I will try a water change. Nothing has changed in the tank for months, it must be a lack of iodine, It is a tank raised Xenia, so it is ( was ? ) very hardy. How long can I leave it in the tank, before it adversly affects my other corals ? OR how can I wtell when it is dead, or is it already ?

Help....

Thanks,
Barry

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[Anonymous]

A few months ago, my Xenia crashed. Still trying to figure out what happened.

Anyway, I decided to leave the Xenia there, or at least what was left of it which I thought to be completely dead. A few weeks later, there were small polyps growing from what was left from the xenia. I tell you, it only takes a little bit of it to survive and WHAALA!

Now, I have the Xenia back to the point that I had to do some cuttings already to clear it. It is growing like weeds!!!

Now my tank is 2 years old so I was confident that it was going to be able to handle the amonia spike, (if any) by leaving the dying Xenia there. Now that I think about it, I was glad I took the chance.



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Carlos
Carlos' Great Barrier
********************
Please, take care of the oceans and its creatures. They are all we've got!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Barry
when you say "nothing has changed in the tank for months" as in water changes????
Do a water change, should help.
unless its to late.If it looks like its declining beyond recovery pull it out.
sorry!!

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surfinbill

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response, I actually did a water change a few weeks ago, I add Ro water twice a week as top off water, and a change every two weeks, the Xenia has never been adversly affected. I am at a total loos as to what is going on. I did a change tonight, and am going to do one on Monday, I don't want to shock the system. I also order some Iodide, maye that will help.

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[Anonymous]

You know, it funny....the Xenia is still hanging in. Here's the story:

I finally recieved the iodide. I purchased ESV Potassium Iodide, I really liked the B-Ionic, so why not. I dosed it monday night ( on drop per gallon as per the instructions ). Nothing has changed as of tonight. I was cleaning the tank, and I touched the Xenia, and it was still "firm", so I left it in. Should I continue to hold off, or should I cut my loses. No other corals seem affected at all.

p.s. I noticed that the B-Ionic has iodine in it...strange....

 

[Anonymous]

Barry,

I've been cultivating xenia for a couple of years. It multiplies and thrives in my tanks, and (generally) in the tanks of those with whom I've traded. Sometimes, colonies crash. Overall, the tank raised stuff is extremely hardy. I prune mine back, and sometimes, don't get all of the pruned stalks out. They usually end up attaching and growing somewhere. I have had the wilting you speak of, usually in response to a temperature change or a salinity change. Hell, two days after a move, they were all back to normal. They're hardy.

I use Reef Plus. I also occasionally dose with iodine, but only if it's testing very low. Xenia like the parameters (pH and alk, in particular) to be stable. That's the biggest trick that I've found. I say ride it out, change a little water, and see what happens. Rotten, dying polyps aren't hard to smell. You'll know if it's beyond hope.

Good luck!

Scott