Xenia and Kenya tree

[Joeysmissy]

I purchased a xenia and a Kenya tree two days ago. The xenia was only two stalks and the Kenya was only about 1 inch big..this morning I checked my tank and now the xenia are 3 stalks and the Kenya seems to have grown about another inch..while at the LFS two days ago I was recommended a bottle of phytoplankton buy an employ..he said to only dose ten drops concidering my size tank..he said I can also just pour a tee spoon if I don't have one of those injector things..my question is are they growing so fast because maybe I'm feeding to much? Or is this normal for only two days?

 

[Smitty]

You actually don't have to feed them, all they need is good lighting. That's pretty normal with them to grow like wildfires. Eventuall, if you're not careful, they will take over your tank.

 

[Joeysmissy]

So this is a pic of them yesterday.. Can I cut the xenia where the stalks meet and place them somewhere else in my talk or are they still to young? Oh and also the xenia is still sitting on the plug it came on..an employer at the LFS said I don't have to take it off the plug and can just place it on a crevis..is this right or do I need to take it off the plug?

 

[Smitty]

You could cut it, but why would you want to do that, you'll regret it months down the line when it over runs your tank. And he was correct, just place the plug anywhere in the tank, over time, that entire area will be covered with xenia.

 

[Joeysmissy]

So than cutting them helps it reproduce? Ok so I won't be doing that lol..but when it gets too out of control what do I do if I cant cut it?

 

[Smitty]

You'll be able to cut it...I had to keep mine trimmed monthly, by taking a razor blade and cutting the base stalk from the rocks. I had the rocks it was on secluded from other rocks so it could easily spread to another rock and take it over.

 

[Joeysmissy]

Cool..thanks smitty

 

[SeaBee]

The Xenia growns on a mat like thing, pulls off real easy. Careful though, it smells like rotten _ss!!! Well, maybe worse...

You can just cut the tree with your fingernail, but it will retract as soon as you touch it, so use some small scissors to get it quick. And take the piece out and mail it to ____, lol.

I think you may have a pineapple tree there, not the average kenya tree, but I am more than likely wrong. Pine apple looks like this, note the buds at the tips.



The reg. Kenya looks like this




I have both types, the pinapple doesnt seem to shed and grows kinda slow. But the Kenya grows fast and drops branches from time to time. They do well in low light and med. flow area. They are filter feeders and like plankton. I use reef roids for my plankton feeders, they all love it.

 

[daugherty]

you should see the old pics of my exnia forest i had before i ripped almost all of it out. i need to do it again real soon

 

[dcantucson]

I use to think people over reacted about this stuff. Then I was enlightened when mine took off and grew over everything. Now I keep it in check and pull it off, but sometimes it is very hard to get it all off the porous rock and it comes back.

Wouldn't it be great if all corals grew like that!?

 

[reeffreak]

Two days is not long enough to notice growth.They are just now getting adjusted,expanding more and maybe that's why you are noticing more branches.

Feeding anything for the those two corals is just adding more pollutants to the water.They do fine without any supplemental feeding.BTW,phytoplankton does nothing for the corals.

 

[Joeysmissy]

Two days is not long enough to notice growth.They are just now getting adjusted,expanding more and maybe that's why you are noticing more branches.

Feeding anything for the those two corals is just adding more pollutants to the water.They do fine without any supplemental feeding.BTW,phytoplankton does nothing for the corals.

really? F#€<ing S#*+..They did it again..LFS always manages to influence me into buying stuff that I don't need..crap!

 

[Bifferwine]

+1 everything Reeffreak said.

 

[reeffreak]

That's the local fish store for you.Come here and ask us first.

 

[VAreef]

really? F#€<ing S#*+..They did it again..LFS always manages to influence me into buying stuff that I don't need..crap!

HAHA I had the same problem before I found this place. You wouldn't believe all the crap I had that really didn't need.