Coral not looking good

tigershark · 01-21-2006, 08:15 PM

I just got what I think is a xenia today and at the LFS it was looking great, brown, big and sticking up. Now it looks purplish and the ends are closed up and it wasn't standing up but it is now. The other zoanthus I got today are looking pretty good. It's obviously in stress, but I was wondering if there is anything I can do, because the last time I tried one of these it stayed this way and kept getting smaller and smaller until it basically just shrivled up into nothing. I drip acclimated them for about an hour.

coralfreak · 01-21-2006, 08:29 PM

Xenia is a coral that not everybody can have for several reasons. One can be that your tank water is too clean and low in nutrients. Can you take a pic?

reef_noob · 01-21-2006, 08:31 PM

In my experience, xenia takes a while to recover from trauma. No need to do anything just yet. Just wait until tomorrow and see if it still having trouble.

tigershark · 01-21-2006, 08:32 PM

I have a camera but we can't find a usb hole in the computer that's not in use (only one I see has the mouse in it). But if you have any ideas as far as that goes I should be able to.

coralfreak · 01-21-2006, 09:09 PM

Wait a day or two and keep an eye on it. If it's standing right now that could be a good thing.

tigershark · 01-22-2006, 06:08 PM

It has gotten smaller than yesterday now. I just turned the lights on so now we'll see if it stands up.

three90s&125sump · 01-22-2006, 06:15 PM

Xenia are very susceptible to osmotic shock. Nothing you can really do now except decrease light intesnsity and duration and cross your fingers.

tigershark · 01-22-2006, 11:13 PM

I'm pretty sure it's dead. It got smaller than it was before and didn't even stand up with the lights on.

tdwyatt · 01-22-2006, 11:27 PM

It can shrink to next to nothing (literally) then come back after few days. Usually issues with Xenia in tanks with good circulation and lighting relate to too long in poor O2 conditions (transport), low or no alkalinity, and not enought nitrates in the water (possibly phosphates as well). I don't know how well Xenia stands up to ammonia either, so this could possibly be an issue, so you might want to check your water parameters.