Sick Xenia... Pathogen transmitted? 11/26/03 Hi: <cheers> I have (had?) many nice colonies of xenia that have been thriving for more than 10 months now and have threatened to take over the tank. At any rate, two days ago , I noticed yellowish lesions/scabs on many of them and they are beginning to wilt and dye. Attached are pictures. Do you know what it is and how to cure it? <it appears to be a pathogenic infection. I have had much personal experience with culturing Xeniids (had over 3K colonies in my coral propagation greenhouse for more than a few years which paid the bills... led me in part to write the Book of Coral Propagation, etc). Frankly... this has the "look" of an infection shared from another coral you recently brought into the tank without quarantine (Ack... say it ain't so! <G>). It could have been something so literal as the purchase of a Euphylliid (Hammer, Torch, Octopus, etc), Clove polyp, etc that didn't acclimate well and simply petered out... but not before sharing this bug. Or... it could have come from the introduction of anything recent without QT that is still healthy and simply served as a carrier. Please (!) do yourself a favor and read, understand and employ proper quarantine protocol for all livestock (plants, algae, fishes, corals, snails... everything). If not for the lives depending on you... then for the sheer value/investment in your tank> The tank is a 225 g with two refugiums (~40 g each) and deep sand beds in all three (~5 inches). An AquaC EV240 skimmer that is cleaned daily, 3- 250W 10K metal halides w/supplemental Actinic 03 PC. Water testing shows pH 8.3, no NO3, no PO4, CA 420 mg/L, Alk 4 meq/L., Iodine is averages 0.4-0.6 g/L, SG 1.025. I perform a 50 gal water change every 2 weeks. <all good indeed> The temp is about 78 winter, 82 summer. I probably need a chiller but haven't invested in one yet. <yikes! that is one heck of a swing... but forgivable if the trend is slow as I believe it is> Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks, Wes Combs <frankly... there is not much to be done presently. Daily iodine doses instead of larger less often doses may have a stimulating effect. The addition of ozone may be good too. But neither are likely to effect an immediate cure. You may lose some or all very quickly. Xeniids suffer infections poorly. Do examine your QT habits or lack thereof. Best regards, Anthony>

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