My Pulsating Zinia

[Randy-L]

My pulsating Zinia

[jojo22]

Looks nice but be warned they grow like weeds on steroids. If you want any more let me know LOL.

[Sweetpea]

they grow like weeds on steroids

Indeed they do! Another warning... keep them pruned regularly, or you'll end up with a mass that takes over your whole tank like mine!

I read on another forum long ago one guy thought xenia should be outlawed... he considered it more trouble than algae! At the time I thought he was exaggerating, but now I know he wasn't. Don't get me wrong - I love my xenia, but I didn't realize that I needed to cut it back - that is, until it had already gotten out of hand. :p

[segraves1]

Looks nice but be warned they grow like weeds on steroids.

I'm amazed how fast this stuff grows.....

about a month ago I got a little piece no larger than a nickle and it really looked pathetic (perhaps 5 "mouths" total....but for $5 I felt I could give it a shot...)....

it has since split twice and probubly each little "ball" (each "ball" is about the size of a golf ball) has probubly 50+ "mouths" on them.....


but then again I have a tank that has no filtration (other than live rock), no sump, and has not had a water change in going on 4 months now......it is a zenia paradice...lol....

[carpenterwrasse]

I got mine about 2 weeks ago. I know it will take some time to grow but exactly how long till they will take over the tank and how do you "prune" them ? I got 2 different species a silver and a red the red is smaller than the silver.

[Sweetpea]

how long till they will take over the tank?

Mine took only a few months to give my tank a makeover! I wish I had known it needed to be pruned before it spread this much. Now I'm going to have to "harvest" it in stages so all the slime doesn't **** off everything else in the tank. I have a pair of really sharp scissors just for aquarium use. I'll cut them as close to the rock as possible, and place them in a breeder net with the rock for them to attach to. I plan on zapping most of the stumps left behind with kalk paste to keep it from growing back. Then I will keep the rest of it under control with regular pruning. HTH

[Fatman]

Im keeping mine in check my growing it on frags near rocks, when Im ready for a small section to be xenia only, thats when I'll let it have its own section.

[jojo22]

I just trim it with a sharp razor

[jojo22]

I have some extras if any one wants them cheap.

[lReef lKeeper]

i trim my xenia with a razor blade. its very sharp and causes less stress. ever notice how when you cut you finger with a razor blade, it doesn't hurt until you see it ??? same principal here (i guess) lol