Xenia coral care and tips

#xenia #candmaquatics #coral #reefaquarium #coralfarm
Purchase corals at www.cmaquatics...
Video Music: www.bensound.com
Opening Music: Cadmus (the cadmus seed)
This video is all about xenia coral care. Xenias are a very popular coral in the reef aquarium community for several reasons. Xenias are a soft coral and they are a coral that is good for beginners who have never kept corals before. Xenia corals have no skeletal structure like L.P.S and S.P.S corals. Xenias are mainly photosynthetic and recieve the bulk of their nutrients from the lights that are on your aquarium. I do not go out of my way to feed xenias due to the fact that they are photosynthetic and make no effort to eat on their own. Xenias may do some filter feeding through the tissues in their bodies so if you do broadcast feedings for other corals then they could benefit from that. Xenias are a very non aggressive coral and do not display much aggression when it comes to coral warfare. Xenias are very fast growers if they like your aquarium and may encroach onto other corals territory. The prolific growth of Xenias is really the only downside I can think of when keeping them in my aquariums. In my experience xenias like a system that is on the higher side of a nutrient load. They tend to grow better in established aquariums where the water is a little dirtier. You can keep them in a newer aquarium but you just may not get the explosive growth that you would in an established one. Xenias can display a pulsing motion in lower flow areas of the aquarium and it adds a nice flowing movement to your system. They are very fun to watch. Xenias can propagate themselves utillizing a form of pedal laceration just like mushroom. If you have never kept xenias I urge you to give them a try. We have them available on our website at www.cmaquaticsky.com. If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or send me a direct message at [e-mail]. Untill next time, keep on reefing!

[@dayankkumarasinghe]

Such a phenomenal and comprehensive informative video.. Thanks so much!!!

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thank you so much for the kind words. I am very happy you enjoyed it 😊

[@Fishkeepingmadeeasy]

Thanks for this! Can’t wait to add mines to my tank!

[@cmaquatics7428]

They are a lot of fun to watch. Hope you enjoy them!!

[@niallslivingart3592]

That's really weird. I can see them trying to pulse while laying out of the water on the table. Great video! This was really helpful as I am wanting to buy some xenia and make a nano tank for them soon.

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thank you. I know a lot of people seem to have trouble with them not pulsing. I have never had that issue with these guys. When you set your new aquarium up just make sure that it is completely cycled before adding any coral and keep the xenia in a low flow area if you want them to pulse. Good luck! It's worth it.

[@niallslivingart3592]

Thanks! I plan on building either a 2.5 gallon, 5 gallon, or small hexagon tank (about 3 gallons) for them. Do recommend any other hardy and beginner friendly coral for a tank of one of these sizes? Of course, I could just have xenia but I was just wondering.

[@cmaquatics7428]

I have another video where I set up a very small aquarium in a fish bowl. I have xenias in there and they have done just fine. I also have disco mushrooms, a Kenya tree, gsp, and I had a small toadstool leather in there but he got to big. Starting out with any of those soft corals should be ok. I'd hold off on the gsp for a couple months. Make sure the softies do well first.

[@cmaquatics7428]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZLQZ2qfiZ51p80

[@pjh71867ify]

Loved the video only problem was I couldn't hear what you were saying. Thank for sharing i just bought my first xenia coral

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thank you so much....I should have all my audio issues worked out now. Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy that xenia!

[@Ace718215]

Awesome. Great vid

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thank you I really appreciate that! Thanks for watching!

[@lebronblew5finalsnottop5ne22]

I just added a small block of them and they're so deflated and struggling But I have other soft coral I've had in the same tank that's doing just fine

[@cmaquatics7428]

I'm assuming they looked good when you bought them? First thing to do is test your water. Even if the other corals look good thats the first place to start. Also give them a day to adjust to their new environment. Double check your salinity and ph when you test and let me know if you find anything.

[@lebronblew5finalsnottop5ne22]

@@cmaquatics7428 yeah they looked great. I haven't checked he ph I'll do that now, but the salinity is at 1.019 I was thinking if they needed a higher salinity?

[@rashmivijay1563]

Sud I switched on all the tym fr xinea? Bec if switched off ty won't move

[@stevemunn367]

Great video 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thanks Steve, and thanks for watching!!

[@aquatichighs]

Do you think this would do well in a fluval evo 13.5 gallon stock? I’m planning on keeping one tail spot blenny and maybe one watchman goby if the tank can handle it. Thank you!

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello, generally yes. Xenia is not a super light demanding coral. If you can keep your parameters in the proper ranges without drastic swings they should do fine. Just remember that with a smaller aquarium it can be harder to keep parameter swings from happening. If you can do that then they should do fine.

[@josephcruz2950]

Bought 2 frags one fell off the frag and rolled around the tank with the water flow and not has set up in the sand bed and has been pulsing and doing great

[@cmaquatics7428]

Awsome to hear! If they like your aquarium they will grow like weeds. Let it grow on your sand bed so they are attached to gravel. They will be easy to glue to a frag plug and you can take them to your lfs to get new corals. Let your hobby pay for itself if you can.

[@bastos2702]

they grow like a weed in my tank although i have had this setup for over 15 years...i used to sell to LFS to help pay costs of supplies.

[@cmaquatics7428]

That is exactly how I got into selling corals as well. Started with the local fish stores.

[@annieroberts1204]

I'm about to order some Xenia from somewhere Live Aquaria , or some other on line store. Will put it in a 39 gallon mixed reef that is mature and stable. Have about 30-40 lbs of Fiji and Tongs live rock, a small HOB, small protein skimmer. Lights; a Chinese black box 165 watt LED lamp and a watt LED strip light. My question is this. Once placed in a tank in a good location, how long before it starts to spread ? A week, a month or when might I see new noticible growth ?

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello Annie and thanks for reaching out. It really depends on Xenia corals, they tend to like certain aquariums over others but it sounds like you have your bases covered. Have you had good growth from your other corals? From your description I would say that you would notice growth and some movement between 3 to 5 weeks. If the pulsing variety of Xenia like your aquarium you should definitely see some good growth in a months time and they can really take off. We do have Xenia on our website at www.cmaquaticsky.com. Have a good one.

[@mattmonteith2175]

I found on Facebook Market place big rock with this coral for sale 75 dollars. I never grow coral . I'm bringing back old dead coral s. I have 150 gallons aquarium and 90 gallons Aquarium saltwater. I'm thinking about buying this Is it a good idea. For me i would not mind if it took over my Aquarium I want to learn how to grow them. I have sunlight shine through my Aquarium and light says it can grow coral s. Then it could be way to make extra money? I would love to hear your thoughts

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello and thanks for checking in. I was slightly co fused by your question but I think I understand. If you are buying a dead coral rock or a piece of coral that is not alive, you will never bring it back. Once coral is dead it is dead for good and can not be brought back. Stoney corals leave their calcium carbonate skeleton behind when they die but they will never be alive again. If you have any other questions please let me know.

[@RickyRanchu]

I'm curious if xenia and bubble tips would work together?

[@cmaquatics7428]

Yes generally speaking xenia and bubble tips should do pretty well together.

[@milkspotscausemetospazzout6813]

Im assuming cutting them is easier to do while they are still in a tank.

[@cmaquatics7428]

Depends on the situation. If at all possible I try to cut corals outside of the aquarium whenever possible just to cut down on toxins being released. With that said I have never had any issues cutting xenia in the tank. I always run a little carbon on my systems too. That helps a little.

[@Jotto999]

Could you please fix the audio? Your voice is only from the right speaker, and it's hard to make out compared to the music.

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thank you for the feedback. I have corrected the audio issue now.

[@jacksonsparrow8865]

Will they grow and spread on the sand?

[@cmaquatics7428]

They will attach to bigger pieces of substrate, the issue is they will get blown away from the flow in the aquarium. Fine sand won't really be enough for them to attach too. I use an aquarium in the video that has pretty much 0 flow. Takes them between 1.5 and 2 weeks to attach. Did that answer your question?

[@truereefkeeping6022]

I just added one yesterday and it looked great and pulsing but today they are slumped over, what should I do?

[@cmaquatics7428]

If they are still looking bad the first thing to do is check your water parameters. Don't forget about salinity and ph too. Make sure that the lighting and flow rate is appropriate for them. Xenias can live in medium to higher flow but they will not pulse. Lower flow let's them pulse. If your xenia is completely slumped over at the trunk it is not super happy. If everything checks out it may just be adjusting to its new environment and may take a day or two. If it starts turning to jelly or discoloring there are more seriouse issues. Also make sure no other corals are stinging it or that nothing is messing with it. Best of luck!

[@gokuthetypeofningen1688]

I just bought some that had three stalks, but my hermits ran it over so many times already in the first few days let’s see if it survives. Almost all the polyps but two remain.

[@cmaquatics7428]

What kind of hermits do you have?

[@gokuthetypeofningen1688]

@@cmaquatics7428 red tip

[@feliciafox4205]

I bought a xenia frag yesterday, it looked good in the store. It looked good in the bag coming home. After I dipped it and put it in my tank it shriveled up and is turning white all in the 1st hour of putting it in. What could cause this? I used double strength coral RX is that too much for them? My tank is over a year old and I have GSP which is doing fine so i think my water is dirty enough for them. Any ideas?

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello, have you tested your aquarium water? Alk, calcium, magnesium, p.h. Check your salinity as well make sure it is 1.024 to 1.026. Making sure the parameters are within normal ranges in your reef tank is the first place to start. Xenias can sometimes be sensitive to drastic alkalinity and salinity changes.

[@feliciafox4205]

Yes I test my water for alkalinity and calcium every other day as I am perfecting my doser. My #s are 8.2, 425 and 1350. Salt is fine. As of this morning they are looking a lot better, standing up and pulsing although still whitish. It may have been the strong coral RX are just the shock of a new aquarium. Hopefully they will make it, I will do an update in about a week. Thanks for your help!

[@cmaquatics7428]

@@feliciafox4205 Yea keep me updated. I have never had a bad experience with the coral rx it is good to use on new frags. I just use the recommended dosages on the bottle. If they are pulsing that is a really good sign and tells me the flow is probably just right for this coral. Could just be new system shock.

[@krankmeister81]

thanks for the information. what brand of salt are you using?

[@cmaquatics7428]

You are welcome. I have been using instant ocean reef crystals for about 20 years now. There may be better salts on the market now but it has always given me decent results so I have just stuck with it.

[@danielimbriaco3917]

i cant get mine to open up at all idk why

[@cmaquatics7428]

Are all your parameters good, that's the first place to start.

[@jtb65]

Thank you! Been looking up about my new Xenia. They’re pretty cool. (Background music on this video was too loud 😬😬)

[@cmaquatics7428]

Thanks for watching and thanks for letting me know about the music. The issue has been corrected. If you ever have questions send me an email and I'll be happy to try and help.

[@California-dr7xd]

Do white light damage xenia? Also do Xenia needs lights on 24/7?

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hey there. White light will not damage xenias. They are a photosynthetic coral and need light to survive. They will benefit more from a reef rated light with the different spectrums over just the white light. They are not super demanding corals when it comes to lighting. I keep them the best in 50 to 100 par and they do just fine. I have kept them in dimly lit areas of the aquarium as well and they do fine. If you notice the xenia stalk or tentacle stretching out that means they are reaching for more light and should be moved to an area where they get more. Hope that helps a little. Great question?

[@California-dr7xd]

@@cmaquatics7428 thank you for responding back I appreciate. I’m using led light with blue and white. My Xenia are slowly growing. I have a 140 gallon and want to grow out with pulsing Xenia I know I’m crazy but I like them.

[@cmaquatics7428]

Your tank you can do whatever you want 😆 can you tell me your parameters?

[@faridaqmal3811]

What water temperature to keep this Xenia

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello, I keep the temperature between 78 and 79 degrees f in all the reef systems.

[@tatyanakenney9897]

Please reply I got mine yesterday and well they aren’t opening they are alive just not opening my tank is new but I used my old water I have no clue what I am doing wrong I turned off my flow for an hour to see if they don’t like it and still didn’t open I moved them to lower ground didn’t open any tips

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello Tatyana, I have had xenia corals do very well even in New aquariums. Have you tested your parameters recently. Even if you used your old water but have all new rock you could still go through a mini cycle process. Make sure there is no ammonia in your water. If there is do a small water change. Make sure alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and phosphates are within good ranges too. Turning off flow was a good idea. If they are pulsing xenia they should open up and slowly pulse in low flow areas of the aquarium. Medium light should be fine with these guys too. Do you have any fish or crabs or anything that could be picking at them? Let me know how they are doing and if you test your water let me know the results.

[@tatyanakenney9897]

@@cmaquatics7428 so they are not full opened and big but they are pulsing a little I can’t find my water tester but will get a new one and see if I need to do anything but for now I think that’s a good sign right

[@cmaquatics7428]

Yes it sounds like it. If they are pulsing they have extended some. They may be settling into your aquarium a little. Find your test kit and double check everything just be safe. Salinity too.

[@tatyanakenney9897]

@@cmaquatics7428 I have low nitrate the ammonia is pretty low and ph is around 8.0 soo and I don’t have a salinity

[@tatyanakenney9897]

Salinity test

[@ImuluKazuko]

Hello! I find Xenias absolutely mesmerizing, and I loved the video. I like the music in the video too. Do you know the name of the song?

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello and thank you for watching. I'm very pleased that you enjoyed it. If your interested in the music it was a royalty free track that I used. I can find the info for you if you want. Send me a message at [e-mail] so I have an email to send it to. Have a great day.

[@ImuluKazuko]

@@cmaquatics7428 Oh, thank you! The video is so relaxing!

[@cmaquatics7428]

Awsome I'm glad you found it there. This way the artist will get credit as well. I found the music to be very relaxing as well. Thanks for watching and if you ever have any questions you know where to find me. Have a great night!

[@Francis.Rivers]

In my experience, if you do a lot of water change, they get stressed out.

[@cmaquatics7428]

I agree with that, there is such a thing of keeping things too clean.

[@wesleysilva-ee6ic]

How much magnesium do you keep? And which is brand of test you have??

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello. I try and keep magnesium levels between 1300 and 1350p.p.m. My main testing equipment I use is the exact I dip system. I also use the red sea magnesium test kit as a back up. The red sea titration test has always been reliable for me.

[@wesleysilva-ee6ic]

@@cmaquatics7428 thank you, im trying to study the xenia, i hope one day figure out what makes them pulsing

[@cmaquatics7428]

Definitely lower flow areas of the aquarium. If they have too much flow they will not pulse. Also I think stable salinity and ph helps with xenias but I do not have scientific evidence to back that up. Just my experience with them. You can see in the video that most of mine pulse constantly, but every aquarium is different.

[@wesleysilva-ee6ic]

@@cmaquatics7428 im reaching the conclusion that the pulsing has so much to do with magnesium levels. Not iodide, not iodine, not ph, not lighting. Low magnesium i will test sooner, well aquarism is science and we have to experiment all the possibilities. Im brazilian and the aquarism here is starting yet. Thank you

[@cmaquatics7428]

Your welcome. It is a lot of trial and error. I do not dose additional iodine. I use instant ocean reef crystals salt so maybe that helps. Good luck and don't get discouraged.

[@jaguaresed]

It doesnt hurt them when you cut them

[@cmaquatics7428]

Are you talking physical pain or growth. It's like cutting your grass or trimming a house plant. There is no screaming or retraction. Whenever you cut a coral There is always a risk of infection or tissue damage no matter the species. If done correctly the risk is very low in my experience.

[@apdroidgeek1737]

I disagree for xenia being “hardy” imo xenia are one if not the most sensitive coral there is, for one they ship terrible, they melt in the slightest change in oxygen and or ph, the only coral I probably would acclimate, their only saving grace is their growth rate.

[@cmaquatics7428]

I agree and disagree with you. They are hard to ship and some just don't make it but we have had a good survival rate because we make sure they are healthy before being shipped. I agree that there are aquariums and hobbyists that have extreme difficulty with them and can not keep them. I have personally never had any issues with them and they grow to the point of almost being a nuisance in some of my systems. From my personal experience keeping a stable and proper ph seems to go a long way with xenias.

[@MachuPichuu]

@@cmaquatics7428 I have also had quite a bit of issues with them. i noticed that if your water is too clean they just slowly melt and die off. My phosphates and nitrates are usually 0 or close to it and i already rarely do water changes. I think like most soft corals they do well in "dirty" tanks with stable PH and ALK

[@cmaquatics7428]

Yes sir, I agree with everything you just said. With all the advancements in filtration and skimming I think a lot of people's water gets striped of all its nutrients and is a factor for sure.

[@fadiabdulkader4461]

I dissagree with you, in beginner aquariums it won't live . It needs phosfate and nitrate which are near to zero at new aquariums. My advice for beginners kenya tree, zoa, hair mashroom.

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hey fadi, Kenya trees, zoas, and mushrooms are all great recommendations for beginners especially mushrooms. I really have kept xenia corals in New aquariums and they have done very well. The beginner needs to realize that the new aquarium still needs to be cycled before putting any coral in it. I think beginners sometimes get xenia in their tanks before it is completely cycled and that is not good for xenia at all. Xenia are a strange coral. they may do well in one person's aquarium and hate somebody else's. I do agree with you that in general some nitrates and phosphates are good for coral development. 0 nitrates and phosphates is not necessarily a good thing. I didn't mean to confuse a new aquarium with having 0 nitrates and phosphates. It is possible to have a mature older aquarium with 0 nitrates and phosphates too. Thanks for the feedback.

[@fadiabdulkader4461]

@@cmaquatics7428 thanks for kind reply

[@dobermanguy9437]

Sometimes Xenia corals like to crash out for no reason at all and before you know it they're gone

[@cmaquatics7428]

It sure can feel that way sometimes with corals.

[@hendri.s3189]

why is my xenia not pulshing???

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello there. It could be for a variety of reasons. The first thing to check is flow. If they are in too high of flow then that will keep them from pulsing. That is probably the number one reason why they don't pulse. Make sure all of your parameters are in the correct ranges and not swinging up and down. Check your temp, alk ,salinity, calcium, and magnesium at the least. Nitrites and phosphates too if you can. Are you dosing anything in the aquarium?

[@hendri.s3189]

@@cmaquatics7428 yes im doses big 3(ch,kh,mg)redsea and ab+,,and every week i'm test parameter...

[@cmaquatics7428]

Ok that is good. Double check and make sure salinity is correct too. You can try moving them to another part of the aquarium and see if they like it better maybe they they are getting a little to much flow. How long have you had them? Did they use to pulse?

[@hendri.s3189]

@@cmaquatics7428 I just got it last week,thnx for your answer

[@notfundy240]

How would i keep the water parameters they need to survive? Im going off of this setup with just xenia if you have anything to change or add to this kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYGmiaNnnMycbck

[@cmaquatics7428]

Xenia is a very strange coral. You might have great luck with that set up or they may not grow at all but its worth a shot especially if your on a budget. Just keep in mind that the smaller the aquarium the harder it is to keep things stable. Keep an eye on your ph and salinity for xenia and keep it as stable as possible. Lighting, calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity are not as much of a concern, id just make sure they are in the appropriate ranges. Xenias are not the most light demanding coral either. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[@notfundy240]

@@cmaquatics7428 thank you!

[@yearight1800]

What do you keep your ph at is 7.8 ok?

[@cmaquatics7428]

Hello. I try and keep my ph at 8.2. Fluctuates a little between 8.1 and 8.2. 7.8 is a little low. If your corals look healthy and are growing I would not tinker with it too much. I run the lights on the sumps for each system opposite of the reef tank lights and I think that helps a little. Great question!

[@LevelSkip]

Coral grows like a weed and is fairly easy to take care of.

[@cmaquatics7428]

It really all depends on the species. Each one has its own particuliar care requirements.

[@ipoacusio02]

music?

[@cmaquatics7428]

What is your question about the music?

[@MrPninja]

I had mine for 2 hours and my first ate it, 40 bucks down the drain

[@cmaquatics7428]

Yea thats never good, what kind of fish was it? If your local I have plenty I'd give to you.

[@borinvlogs]

i cant even keep this coral in my tank. just dies.

[@cmaquatics7428]

How old is your system? Just curious I have kept them in newer and older systems. What are your parameters?

[@alaguraj9945]

Xenia Price

[@cmaquatics7428]

$15.00 www.cmaquaticsky.com plus shipping unless you hit the minimum for free shipping.

[@alaguraj9945]

I am in india.delivery possible

[@cmaquatics7428]

I'm sorry I can only ship to the United States right now. Thank you for checking the website out though.

[@Akshay.Awaghade]

@@alaguraj9945 iam also searching for xenia in India

[@Akshay.Awaghade]

@@alaguraj9945 somebody had them in Mumbai and Pune for sale

[@arielbalangue6489]

Can u help me my Xenia coral always melt bro

[@cmaquatics7428]

can you send me some info on your aquarium. lighting, gallons, flow and your most recent parameter readings? Also what else do you keep in your aquarium?

[@andreaingravallo]

Music?

[@cmaquatics7428]

What is your question about the music?

[@andreaingravallo]

@@cmaquatics7428 how the music is called?

[@cmaquatics7428]

It is a band I used to be in. I wrote the music and recorded it. Search the cadmus seed on Spotify or KZbin and you can find the album.

[@andreaingravallo]

@@cmaquatics7428 oh, thanks :)

[@andreaingravallo]

@@cmaquatics7428 i mean... the music in the whole video... not the music in the intro