Xenia in the 'fuge?

R

raggedfinfirefish

Premium Member
Today I picked up a bunch of coral, and ended up getting some Xenia for free. I know how awful invasive species can be, I had an encrusting gorgonian nearly take over my tank. Because threads are always more fun with pics, it was all the pink on the right side of this pic.

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Anyways, I've been around for long enough to know that green star polyps and xenia will both never be introduced to my main tank. Hell, button polyps and mushrooms are just lucky to be alive if I see them. Once I get the mojiano wand, they'll likely be toast too. Since I didn't want to introduce this to my main tank I've plopped them down into the refugium. I also remember reading that Xenia has some great nitrate export properties, and that some people even use them in their refugiums. Or exclusivly in their refugiums. Does anyone have any experience with this? I also picked up a little Nemo with all the coral, and have him down in my 'fuge too. I traditionally did 24 hour lighting, but i've adjusted it to reverse so that he can get some sleep, and not be cracked out all the time. Since its not 24 hour anymore I was considering trying it. I just would hate if it excaped up into the main tank or something.
 
Is the Xenia THAT invasive that it could make it's way from a fuge into the display? I have it in my display (I actually like it, and enjoy watching it sway around), and it's definitely a fast grower that I'll have to frag soon (unless I get a bigger tank first), but it doesn't seem like it could get out of control like aptasia or something. I have it on a rock that's isolated on the sand bed and it doesn't seem to be growing past that.

Also, just curious, why is the "Nemo" in the sump?

I can't answer your question about it helping to export nitrates, but that would be a nice bonus. [smilie=smile.gif]
 
in one of our tanks it started like a quarter size plug and with in 6 months took over the whole top of the live rocks in a 65g that and anthellia we have tons of in the 65 but it is a fish only tank now so the softies what few we have live in it...
 
Still waiting on an answer to your question...I'm also curious about that. I have a bunch to scrape off some rocks and hate to throw it away.
 
I have always heard that since Xenia likes "dirty water," thus it will eliminate some of the nitrates from your tank, but I don't see why you'd want to put them in a 'fuge. It will not work as well as macro algae and if your water ever becomes low nutrient then they will not live. If you have some xenia, why not give/trade it to someone who likes it and just use macro algae in your 'fuge?
 
There is no documented study to support the theory it lowers nitrates... Or at least I can't find anything on the subject... Many assumptions but no actual scientific support... macro algae is a better use of the space in the fuge in my opinion...
 
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