ECC Red Xenia

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Red Pulsing Xenia; Pulse Coral; Waving Hand Coral

Synonyms

Heteroxenia sp.; Xenia elongata

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef

Habitat

Shallow, high-light reef flats and lagoons with moderate to strong tidal currents, from near-surface down to about 30 meters

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Coral type

Soft

Temperament

Peaceful

Growth form

Colonial polyps

Adult size

1 – 3 in (2.5 – 7.6 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Middle, High

Water

Temperature

75 – 79 °F (24 – 26 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.023 – 1.025 SG

PAR

100 – 200 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Low

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

6 in (15 cm)

Colors

Pink, Brown, Cream, Purple

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Coral food

Propagation

Fragging, Splitting

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Care guide

Overview

Suits reef tanks with open sandbed rock islands or dedicated soft coral sections rather than crowded SPS displays, since colonies fill space fast. Red-toned polyps pulse continuously under 150-250 PAR and gentle flow, tolerating milder nutrient levels than most corals. Prune regularly and keep it isolated from slower neighbors to prevent overgrowth.

Care

Xenia is regarded as one of the easier soft corals for reef aquarists, tolerating a wide range of water conditions as long as light is adequate. Growth is fastest under low to moderate lighting and gentle to moderate flow, since excessive turbulence can keep the polyps from opening and pulsing normally. Because colonies spread over rock and glass quickly, many keepers mount frags on an isolated rock or plug well away from other sessile invertebrates to prevent overgrowth. It is one of the few corals that seems to do better with some dissolved nutrients in the water rather than ultra-clean SPS-grade conditions.

Placement & acclimation

Frags typically arrive attached to a small plug or piece of rubble that can be wedged into a crevice or set on an isolated rock island rather than the main reefscape, since Xenia spreads onto and over adjacent surfaces readily. Standard light acclimation is recommended, starting new colonies lower or shaded for the first one to two weeks before moving them up into their permanent higher-light spot. Positioning where flow and lighting are moderate helps the coral settle without excessive stress-induced mucus production.

Feeding

Xenia is almost entirely photosynthetic, relying on symbiotic zooxanthellae for the bulk of its energy needs, so intense feeding is not required. Occasional dosing of phytoplankton or other fine particulate coral foods can supplement growth, and the colony also absorbs dissolved organics and trace elements from the water column. Iodine and other trace element supplementation is often cited as helpful for sustaining the pulsing behavior over time.

Neighbors

Xenia lacks sweeper tentacles and potent chemical defenses compared to many other soft corals, making it broadly peaceful toward tankmates. It does produce mucus when stressed or handled, which can irritate neighboring soft corals if colonies are placed too close together. Given how readily it multiplies and can smother slower-growing neighbors, leaving generous open space or isolating it on its own rock is the safest approach.

Fragging

Xenia is among the easiest corals to propagate, often fragmenting itself naturally as pieces detach and drift onto nearby surfaces to form new colonies. Deliberate fragging can be done by cutting a stalk with a sharp blade and attaching the piece to a plug or rubble with cyanoacrylate gel, though pieces can also simply be pinched off. New frags typically attach and begin pulsing again within one to two weeks under stable conditions.

Pests & problems

Sudden cessation of pulsing is common and not necessarily a sign of illness, since the behavior is influenced by flow, lighting, and nutrient levels in ways that are not fully understood. Colonies can go through periods of receding or "melting back" for no obvious reason and then recover on their own. The biggest practical health issue for most keepers is unchecked spread rather than disease, since Xenia can overrun rockwork and equipment if not regularly pruned or contained.

Sources

1. LiveAquaria CCGC Aquacultured Red Sea Pom Pom Xenia Coral
2. Xenia Coral Care, Information, & Pictures - Build Your Aquarium
3. Xenia Coral Care: The Complete Guide | Avid Aquatics
4. Pom Pom Coral Care - Pulsing Xenia Guide

Varieties in the catalog

ECC Pulsing XeniaORA Pom Pom Xenia Coral