Re: Heteroxenia sp. & Caulastrea sp., allelo f'   3/11/10
Thanks, I've read some of the links you mentioned. I have moved the Zoas to the bottom of the tank away from other corals, put in some carbon to remove any potential toxins.
<Good>
It almost looks like the Xenia's stalk has been stung or damaged.
<Very possible>
I'm also moving the Xenia away from the Zoas. Any need to "dip" the Xenia in something to help the tissue heal... Melafix?
<Never... read on WWM re... worse than worthless... Perhaps additional iodide/ate... BobF>

Parasite Problems/Snake Oil Remedies -- 11/23/2009
Hello!
<Hello Ashley! JustinN here>
I have a problem in my tank and I believe it is related to parasites, but I'm not sure what to do!
<Lets see if we can help!>
I purchased a new Ocellaris clown a week ago from my LFS. I do not quarantine as I don't have the space for another tank (I know you will hate that!).
<You are correct, and I think you also now see the benefit of a quarantine configuration. Please do consider setting one up in the future -- remember, the tank doesn't have to run all the time, only when you're quarantining new purchases. If you quarantined fish, I bet we wouldn't be chatting now!
*grin*>
A few days later I noticed it had "clownfish disease" (or so my LFS owner thought at least).
<I assume that Velvet or Brooklynella are the 'clownfish disease' that is being referred to here -- is possible, not uncommon.>
I did a 5 minute freshwater dip and put him back in the tank. He looked mostly better, but a few days after that my Purple Firefish died suddenly.
It had one small white spot (about 1/2 cm or so in diameter) but no other obvious signs of distress or disease. I also noticed that my Banggai Cardinalfish had developed what appears to be fin rot. His fins are smaller, the base of each fin is red, and some are covered in a cloudy white film, one is even "glued" to his body by this film. The clown still had one area of missing scales but looked better than before.
<Sounds like a toxic water condition to me -- are you testing your tank regularly on your own?>
My LFS owner recommended I treat with Ruby Reef's Rally, but this is the third day of treatment and I see no improvement.
<And you will likely not see any improvement -- this 'medication' is akin to snake oil, a hoax... have a read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/homeopathfaqs.htm and here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/medfaqs2.htm -- search for "Ruby Reef Rally" within these pages for general consensus of these products...>
The Cardinalfish is only getting worse. Just prior to this outbreak I added a Pulsing Xenia Coral. It looked perky the first day, but it fell into a crack and I had to gently pull it out by the stalk as I could not get to the small rock it was on (after this I glued it to a bigger rock).
<Not likely a problem, I have done this before without deleterious effects to Xenia sp.>
Since doing that and adding the Rally treatment the Xenia has been droopy, is not pulsing, and is turning a dark brown color at the base.
<The Rally is the problem -- Stephen Pro did a study investigating Rally, and other similar 'cure-all' medications, and found that within a few days, a tank treated with Rally would have its Xenia sp. corals melt away into nothing -- very similar as to when copper is added to a reef tank.>
I have a 38 gallon tank with a bunch of live rock, a Galaxy coral, Frogspawn coral, many purple mushrooms, a Monti plate coral, 1 Blue Star Leopard Wrasse, 2 Ocellaris clowns, 1 Banggai Cardinalfish, 1 Mandarin Goby, 1 Skunk Cleaner shrimp, 1 Harlequin shrimp, 1 Sally Lightfoot crab, several blue-leg hermits, and a bunch of different snails. I use RO water from my LFS that they mix with aquarium salt and I do water changed bi-weekly so tank parameters are always normal.
<Are you testing these parameters, verifying their normalness? Please do provide actual figures -- much easier to provide advice.>
What can I do for the Xenia and the Cardinalfish? Should I continue treating with Rally, try something different, or just let it be? I am leaving town tomorrow night for the Thanksgiving holiday (but will return Thanksgiving night). Please help!
Ashley
<Stop treating with the Rally post haste, and add some activated carbon and/or Poly-Filter to remove the excess medication from your water -- your Xenia may not last much longer if you don't. Beyond this, I would test your water and verify where your parameters currently sit -- the issues sound most like toxic water conditions to me... please do provide further substantial details so we may paint a better picture here. Good luck!
-JustinN>

Sick or dying coral - Xenia Stinks! I know you all are busy so I really try to find info from the FAQ's and Archives, but this one is something I haven't seen. My wife and I tried ordering a Xenia through the mail, we got it today. The water in the bag was a light pink or purple color and really stunk when I took the coral out. The poor thing was totally limp and has made no attempt to move any of its tentacles. It is in the QT tank for now but what I am wondering is if it is dying or will it recover from the stress of moving. I have read also that some people recommend putting corals directly into the display tank to reduce some stress from moving them repeatedly. I decided the QT tank was safer because of the weird colored water in the bag. Thank you for your help in advance, Jeff <Jeff, the coral is obviously stressed out. Putting in the quarantine tank was a good idea, until the coral perks up. My only suggestion would be to use the water from your display tank for the quarantine. It will be the same quality and will reduce acclimation time when the coral comes around. Also, the tank water will have more nutrients and food for the Xenia. If it doesn't come around in the next week you know the coral didn't make it. It will eviscerate in your hands. Good Luck MikeB.> 

Xenia Dying, But Not Dying Hi, Crew- I seem to be having a strange and very worrisome problem with some pulsing Xenia I purchased about two months ago. I put the small ~2" frag into the tank about 5" from the lights, and it seemed to grow pretty quickly, like everyone warned. It split into two different colonies and spread over about 5" of rock. They never pulsed like in the store, however. 3 weeks ago, one of the colonies collapsed literally overnight-all fingers gone, color pale, stalks shriveled, but tank parameters were fine. The base of the colony remained, however, and now is slowly growing back. Then last week, the second colony collapsed in the same manner, but is also growing back. I'm at a lost for the behavior. I thought adjustment, but they were both in the tank for 5 weeks before this happened. Other inverts (1 red lobo, 1 Sinularia, 1 Fungia, 1 Euphyllia divisa, several Actinodiscus, 1 Rose BTA, all spaced far from the xenia) are fine.  I've included my specs on the 1 year-old tank below. Sorry for all the info, but I didn't know how much info was important. 72g Bow Front (20" deep), 260W PC (4 bulbs 10000K, 4 bulbs Actinic), NH3 0ppm, NO2 0ppm, NO3 10ppm, Alk 9ppm, Ca 400ppm; Prizm skimmer fills cup ~ 1wk, I run activated charcoal and ChemiPure in the sump, 10% water changes weekly. <Mike, you should add an iodine supplement weekly.  You also are a little weak on lighting.  You need to get the wattage up to at least 4.5 watts per gallon for xenia.  You are running about 3.6 watts per gallon.  I'd discontinue the charcoal and stay with Chemi-Pure.  The charcoal will leach phosphates.  James (Salty Dog)>
Xenia Dying, But Not Dying James- Thanks for the response. <You're welcome> I was afraid you were going to say it was the lighting. I thought it was pushing it, but my LFS said it would be okay. I'll check my iodine levels. Ack! Pay the rent or upgrade lights!? <Mike, keep in mind your local fish store is a business.  They survive by sales.  Some may not be as honest as they should be.  Always best to do research before buying so you know from the horses mouth what a specimen needs to survive.  James (Salty Dog)> -Mike

Pulse coral not pulsing ? Hi, I wonder if you could give me advice about my pulse coral. <Xenia?> I've just come from holiday and have noticed that my pulse coral have changed to a darker colour and doesn't pulse any more. <Probably related to some water quality issue; pH, RedOx, or temperature are my best guesses.> Please could you advise what the problem is and what to do for it to get better. <Check your water. More than likely some aspect of your water quality has drifted out of whack while you were gone.> David worried! <No need to be worried. Merely identify the problem and correct. -Steven Pro>

Xenia Health Hello, I have had xenia flourishing in my tank for over six months and have shared many frags with others.  <very good to hear...especially the sharing part <G>> Three days ago, I noticed that several of the stalks have what appears to be some sort of injury...looks like some sort of wound with this crusty yellowish stuff. <Hmmm.... caution here. Can be rapidly infectious> The affected stalks appear to be dying and several more stalks look to be in peril each day. I have seen xenia crash or "melt down" in other tanks (as it seems to be famous for) but this is very different. I have tried to see if any of the tank mates are bothering the xenia but I don't see any. Everything else in the tank is as happy as ever. Any ideas? Thanks kindly, Jonathan Bush <yep... they are quite sensitive to water quality. A dip below 8.3 in pH or very low ALK (below 8 dKH) is often the culprit. Also lack of water changes and Iodine supplementation (colony reaches critical mass as nutrients are depleted with growth). And lastly... chemical burns from the accumulation of noxious allelopathic compounds in the water from aggressive corals (star polyps, mushrooms, colt coral, etc). Weekly carbon changes in stead of monthly, aggressive skimming, PolyFilters here for this. Best regards, Anthony> Jonathan Bush

Sick Xeniids bob....pulsing Xenia starting developing sores. these turned into yellow scabs that smelled to high heaven. have lost about six stalks so far. started flushing infested ones. not all of the stalks infested. still have about six or seven that are okay. any treatment. never had to ask for treatment of corals. have 55, sump, 15w UV; Berlin skimmer, 403 Fluval; 2-110 VHO; 2-40 actinic 03. have quit eating pizza's late with anchovies but we still have the flat black Nudibranch. haven't moved to Florida yet but am pricing 180 gal. for the new house. thanks, Jim nix >> Yeeikes... at first try, would change a huge amount of water (like half), stop all other additive use... but do apply a source of iodine to your water... a small amount... daily... If losses continue, consider taking colony out and dipping in half freshwater and seawater and half dose of malachite (freshwater Ich remedy) for ten minutes to arrest bacterial (secondary?) infection... Bob Fenner

Xenia Hi Bob I just mail ordered some white pulsing xenia. It came in pretty rough. <Typical... all should try to get this family of soft corals as local as possible... like from fellow aquarists with excess> The stalks limp to the side and look pretty bad. I put it 8 inches from the lighting and left them alone. Any ideas or suggestions to maximize their recovery?  <Perhaps a dose of iodine/iodide... and time going by> Water conditions are great. How do xenia normally look after shipping.  <Mush to okay> I know leather coral look real bad but will usually perk back out after a day or so. Well I hope some of the xenia makes it. I really appreciate all your help this past year. Your generous use of your time is a great asset to the hobby. The following are some updates on previous questions you have helped me with. The blue faced angel that was eating brains is doing great now. I took the brains and candy corals out for a month. I added the candies back to see if the fish forgot they were nibble worthy and he had. For the past few months the only things he really picks on is my huge colt that grows 3" or so a month. This is cool because now I don't have to cut it back so much anymore. The fish is doing great he just got the first yellow splotches in the back of his blue face. When I bought the fish it was in the adolescent color stage. Now it is turning bright yellow from the tail back. This is the neatest thing I've seen yet in the hobby. <Sounds great> My Evans Anthias are all doing great as well. The male is really pink now and herds his female around all day long. Its pretty funny. What do you think about adding another little yellow female or two so he can have a harem? They live in a 8 ft long 240g tank. <Yes to adding another couple or more females> Thanks Again, Everett <Thank you, my friend. Bob Fenner>