Xenia Coral

The Pumping Xenia Coral is also known as Pulse Coral, or Waving Hand Coral. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of solid substrate. They form stalks as they grow, and are easy to reproduce. The polyps open and close in an attractive pulsing or pumping motion.  Groups of these stalks form colonies that can spread into large mats.

Aquacultured Xenia are hardier than wild-caught species and tend to reproduce quickly. Therefore, provide adequate space between them and sessile animals, especially other types of soft corals. They require a medium to high light level combined with a medium to strong water movement within the aquarium. The main supplement normally associated with successfully keeping Xenia is Iodine.

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.