Long-Stalk Xenia Care Guide
Xenia elongata is a long-stalked pulsing soft coral of the family Xeniidae. It is photosynthetic, fast-growing and spreads readily in a reef tank.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Xenia elongata is a pulsing soft coral of the family Xeniidae, distinguished within the trade by its taller, longer stalks. Like other Xenia it carries a bouquet of polyps whose many-fingered hands open and close rhythmically, though it tends to pulse less actively than Xenia umbellata. It is photosynthetic and fast-growing.
Taxonomy
- Class: Octocorallia
- Family: Xeniidae
- Genus: Xenia
- Scientific name: Xenia elongata
- Authority: Dana, 1846 (WoRMS, order Malacalcyonacea)
Habitat
The genus Xenia occurs on tropical Indo-Pacific reefs. As a photosynthetic soft coral it relies on symbiotic zooxanthellae within its tissue for most of its nutrition.
Tank requirements
- Temperature: 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)
- pH: 8.1–8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.024–1.026
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8–11
- Calcium: 380–450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280–1350 ppm
- Nitrate: below ~15 ppm; phosphate below ~0.1 ppm
- Lighting: medium, about 75–175 PAR
- Flow: low to moderate, indirect
- Minimum tank age: about 3 months
Provide moderate light and gentle indirect flow; the coral usually establishes easily and grows quickly under stable soft-coral conditions.
Diet
Xenia elongata is mainly photosynthetic, drawing most of its energy from zooxanthellae and absorbing dissolved nutrients; supplemental amino acids or phytoplankton are optional rather than necessary.
Compatibility
It is reef, fish and shrimp safe and lacks strong stinging tentacles, but it spreads readily, so isolated placement and routine pruning help keep it from overgrowing neighbours.
Xenia elongata Propagation Guide
Overview
Xenia elongata is a pulsing soft coral in the family Xeniidae, distinguished by taller, longer stalks than its relatives. As a member of the genus established by Lamarck in 1816, it is photosynthetic and bears many-fingered polyps that pulse, opening and closing to push water away from the colony. Like other Xenia it spreads readily once settled.
Reproductive Mode
Reproduction in the aquarium is asexual. The coral extends and leans onto neighbouring surfaces, attaches where it touches, and a daughter stalk can detach from the parent to grow as a new colony. This walking-and-dividing growth lets a single Xenia spread across the rockwork on its own.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut a long stalk near its base with sharp scissors or a clean blade, then rubber-band the piece loosely to a plug or rock. Left in a calm spot, the cutting attaches by itself over one to two weeks. Banding the frag to a small rock fragment gives a better hold than bare glue, which Xenia tends to shed.
- Cut a long stalk near its base with sharp scissors.
- Band the piece loosely to a plug or rock.
- Set it in low flow and leave it alone.
- Attachment follows within about one to two weeks.
Conditions for Propagation
Gentle flow and stable mature water support attachment and growth. Because the species spreads quickly, keeping it on an isolated rock or island makes the colony easy to contain and prune before it reaches slower-growing corals.
Common Challenges
Rather than slow establishment, the typical problem is the coral overrunning its neighbours. Routine trimming and physical separation keep the long-stalked colony in check.