Pulse Coral
The Xenia Pulsing Coral is also referred to as a Pumping Coral, or Waving Hand Coral. It is a group of colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of solid substrate. They form stalks as they grow, and to reproduce. The eight-tentacled polyps pulse, or pump, and many scientists believe the pulsing action of the polyps slowly opening and closing is designed to either dispose of gasses and waste, or collect food from the water column, or both. The amount of pulsing will vary with various water parameters.
Xenia sp.
| Quick Stats: Pulse Coral |
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Family: Xeniidae |
Xenia sp. corals can be very difficult to acclimate; in general, cultured specimens are hardier than wild harvested species. Predatory fish (e.g., Xenia-eating angelfish), crabs, snails, or the stings of other corals may damage the colony quite easily. Therefore, provide adequate space between them and sessile animals, especially other types of soft corals. Some may prefer to be on a vertical surface. They require a medium to high light level combined with a medium to strong water movement within the aquarium. They have difficulty reproducing in an aquarium, however, some experienced aquarists have taken a section from the mother colony and attached it to a hard substrate with epoxy, and had some success. For continued good health, they will require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
They contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae from which they receive the majority of their nutritional requirements. Additional weekly feedings of micro-plankton or foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates are also needed.