Re: rapid decline in Xenia    3/14/13
Thanks Bob
<Welcome Lar>

Caulerpa and Xenia  10/26/11
Dear WWM,
<Hi Charles>
I'm trying to figure out why my entire colony of Pulsating Xenia is dying.
The only thing out of the ordinary (water quality - husbandry) was that about three days prior to the Xenia starting to show signs of distress ( less active pulsing and "fluffy-ness )
<How long have you had the Xenia before this started happening?>
I did a large pruning of the Feather Caulerpa I have. (some in the main tank and some in my refugium ) I know that Caulerpa release a Toxin when pruned / broken, but since I always run carbon (Chemipure elite) and did a water change right after the pruning, I didn't think it would be an issue.
Now, my Xenia are all retracted and the "feathers" are literally becoming goo. This is about 1 week after the pruning...
Could this be a result of the Caulerpa pruning, or should I not be pointing fingers at the algae and keep trying to track down another cause?
<Not likely>
All my water parameters haven't changed, lighting, feeding, nothing ...except my Xenia are turning to goo. (not the stalks, just the feathery fingers)
<Including parameters in email is helpful; check pH, iodine level or maybe even fish culprits that might be nibbling on Xenia behind your back. Lots of useful info here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/xeniiddisfaqs.htm>
Sincerely, Charles Paskey
<Happy Pulsing, Michelle (Fichecake)>

Blue Xenia Color Fade...But Polyps Otherwise Healthy and Reproducing Quickly -- 11/08/10
Hi gang,
<<Hello Chuck>>
My question involves some blue xenia... I have received starter colonies from a friend who grows these things four or five times over the years. I always experience the same thing -- once they hit my tank, they acclimate...start pulsing... and reproduce quickly, doubling in size over the next month or two. But they also lose their bluish tint.
<<Hmm'¦>>
This last time, with five or six colonies at different heights, proximity to my lights, etc. seeded in various places in my tank -- basically anywhere the current wasn't too swift to beat them up, all faded at the same rate...blue/gray totally gone after about two months, and now are beige/brown.
<<Almost certainly environmental -- and likely the "chemical" composition of the environment (bio-mineral and/or nutrient content)>>
I use metal halides... No actinics at the moment... But I had the same experience under a PC 50/50 setup with blue and purple actinics in my last tank's lighting setup. Is there some additive I'm likely short of that would cause this?
<<Almost certainly this is the case>>
And if some sort of correction is made, am I likely to ever see the 'blue' again?
<<Possibly'¦ You should start by examining the friend's environment and husbandry practices of the system in which the parent colonies are maintained. Query this person re any additives, the specifics of the system chemistry (pH, Alkalinity, et al), even down to the brand of salt mix and Salinity/Specific Gravity>>
Thanks in advance for any help on this...
Chuck
<<Happy to share'¦ EricR>>

Strange Happenings/Xenia Health 10/16/10
Hello,
<Hello Dave>
hoping you can assist, I have a 150 gallon reef tank which was growing Xenia and spreading throughout the tank at a awesome rate, all was fine until the weekend when I was forced to remove a large Fox Face Rabbitfish, for months he was fine and all of a sudden he began to bite the heads of the Xenia. After removing him the Xenia appears to have stopped growing, they are not as tall as they once were and they appear to be docile or sleeping all day with the flowers staying small with the odd one opening up , any suggestions would be appreciated.
<Xenia crashes can and do occur in colonies that have been doing well/reproducing without any apparent change in conditions. Seems as though they have exhausted some special element in the water that we
do not know about. Is weird/strange. Quite often, after a meltdown, Xenia will often come back within a few months as some tissue is always left behind.
What may help you more than anything is to slowly raise your salt level up to 1.024-025 over a one week period, 1.016 is a little on the low side for these animals. Have you recently added any aggressive corals such as Euphyllia?>
pH 8.3
Phosphate 0
Salt 1.016 <<Way too low. RMF>>
Temp 81
Thanks
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Dave Woo
Re Strange Happenings/Xenia Health 10/16/10 - 12/7/10
Hello me again
<Hello Dave>
with another Xenia issue which just occurred yesterday, two small Xenia plants <plants?> separated from the rest of the larger group was doing fine with some others, however yesterday morning they just died, like dead, they shriveled up and the crabs are picking at them, not sure what occurred??
<Mmm, read original thread again.>
The ones that died were right beside others and they appear to be ok today, the rest of the main coral bunch appears to be fine, is there something I can do to ensure this does not happen to the other corals?? The salt I have adjusted after your last recommendations to 1.21
<Mmm, I recall suggesting 1.024-1.025, look below to original thread.>
and this has help them to appear to be growing and thriving, I am doing water changes every week about 5 - 10 gallons and have charcoal bags hanging in the sump changing every 2 weeks, I am also feeding them by syringe small doses of shrimp and they look like they are digesting them.
<Will not eat particle foods. I would discontinue the use of carbon, see if that improves the health of your remaining colonies. It has been said that Xeniids depend very heavily on dissolved organic compounds as they are found in areas of high nutrient levels. The use of carbon will remove a large percentage of DOCs thus lowering their food supply. Overdosing of iodide/iodine will/can also cause problems with Xeniids. May want to read the FAQs found in the header on various Xeniid topics.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/xeniidarts.htm>
Thanks for your time