Wondering about xenia?

[bon_jon11]

Was wondering if my xenia will be okay if he took 2 tumbles to the ground in my tank. Right now hes in a slump and i just epoxyed him to a rock. So what do you think.

[QuAcKeR]

How big is the Xenia and how long did it sit on the ground? Most likely it'll be okay. Probably will open up by tomorrow.

With Xenia I like to loosely rubber band it to a rock. Within 48 hours mine have attached enough to remove the rubber band. Of course, my super glue skills aren't up to par I suppose.

[sfletch3]

I had a small xenia that was attached to a small rock. No matter what I did, a turbo graser would knock the rock loose and the xenia would be at the bottom of the tank with the rock on top. I must have found it that way 5 times. The xenia would not leave the rock and the snail wouldn't leave the xenia alone. I now have it epoxy'd between two rocks and its lasted several weeks now. The good news, is that the xenia has always come right back. They are tougher than they look.

[bon_jon11]

It was just a littlle chunk that was attatched to a piece of rock. Like you said it should be okat, I hope! How do you do the rubber band technique? How loose is it around, and wouldn't it crush the xenia itself no matter how you put the band on?

[QuAcKeR]

Very very loosely... just enough so the Xenia doesn't float away. You could also use mesh and rubber band the edges of the mesh, but with the way Xenia likes to extend and pulse I would rather give it more freedom.

[ckreef]

You can also use a toothpick. Find a small hole where you want to attach the Xenia. Test fit the toothpick to make sure an end will wedge down in the hole. Stab the toothpick through the bootm part of the stalk then wedge into the hole. If you want you can break off any extra toothpick sticking up. Within a few days the Xenia will have attached and you can slowly (with a twisting motion) pull out the toothpick.

This was my method and it worked very well.

If you tank parameters are good and the Xenia is doing well in your tank then it is really hard to kill no matter what you do. Every so often I take and scrape off my Xenia stalks and flush them. Within a few weeks the one cell that was left on the rock turns into a polyp which slowly mutiplies into another stalk and the Xenia cycle begins all over.

[QuAcKeR]

I'll have to try the toothpick idea. Would probably look a lot better than the rubber bands I have stretched around the corners of my LR!

[ckreef]

toothpicks work OK --- They can also be used for other softies like toadstool leathers ect....