Effects on Xenia

[-drew-]

I'm new to the whole scrubber concept and have been doing alot of research and reading (mainly on your forum). I have come accross something saying that Xenia may die of starvation from the use of a scrubber. How is that possible if the scrubber is a giant breeding ground for baby pods aka. coral food

[Amphiprion]

Xenia actually have a highly reduced, practically nonexistent gut and have pretty much zero prey capture response or capabilities. This basically only leaves absorptive means for growth at their disposal. Therefore, algal scrubbers and Xenia directly compete with each other and it just so happens that algae is the more efficient combatant. This ends up starving them of the raw building blocks they need to grow and survive. The same can be said of any other primarily absorptive feeder.

[-drew-]

Well I also have a fairly large colony of yellow stone polyps. Would those also be at risk of starvation?

Is there any way to keep xenia and run an algae scrubber or is it basically up to nature to see who will survive?

[ChrisD]

Drew

As I understand it Xenia actually absorbs nitrate and phosphates (could be wrong here but have been told this in the past). As such, if the algae consumes those compounds quicker then the xenia is doomed. I guess that's why mixed reefs are difficult - some corals want low nutrient, others higher - mixed reefs are always battling nature.

Chris

[SantaMonica]

I've heard of a few xenia's that stayed alive with scrubbers, but not many. If you want to keep them, feed much much more.