Does xenia need CA & KH?

[jeweldamsel]

Besides idodie what else does xenia need to survive and grow?

[jdieck]

Seems that parameters stability and good bright lighting. It will not use Calcium and carbonate alkalinity directly as hard corals do but Xenia require the stability that alkalinity and calcium brings to the whole chemistry.

Besides that there has been some anecdotal evidence that Xenia does better when in the same system with some sarcophytons specially Yellow ones.

Having said all that, Xenia seems to grow like weeds in some systems and not to grow in others for no aparent reason, also after a period of explosive growth it can die off almost completely again for no aparent reason.

[michaeltwana]

VERY WELL SAID. Just wondering if you have any link to that data with the yellow sar's.

Iodine has never been proven to do anything.

[coralmkr]

They love stable PH ( 8.2-8.4) and high Alk (8-11 dkH).

[jeweldamsel]

Thank you all.

[jdieck]

Originally posted by michaeltwana
Just wondering if you have any link to that data with the yellow sar's.

Anthony Calfo mentions that observation in page 304 of his "Book of Coral Propagation" Volume One, Version 1.0

"One of the most interesting facets of Xeniid culture is the demonstrated success of complimentary culture of pulse corals with Sarcophyton species. It has been demonstrated that many Xeniids survive, grow and reproduce better in systems with Sarcophyton species than alone in species-specific displays. This is somewhat of a deviation from the "rule" (mono-specific culture is usually more effective). It is not entirely clear what the benefit is to the Xenia or if the Sarcophyton benefits at all. I had a habit of hiding large, reserved specimens of Sarcophyton leathers in some of my Xenia culturing vessels and soon noticed an improvement in performance in those systems compared to otherwise identically maintained species-specific systems."

[michaeltwana]

Thanks for the info on that. Was not doubting you by the way, just never heard that before.

I wonder why this is? Anthony doesn't seem to know?

[jdieck]

No it is just something he experienced in his farm. At that time he used to grow lots of Xenia and soft corals as it was very profitable then as they were the most popular. SPS had not developed into what it is today.