Updated pic

[dee99gt]

So my coral is starting to grow out of control..  I can't seem to get the stuff off the rock to weed some of it out..  any idea how to??


Can someone also help me and suggest where to put my leather toadstool???  I've had it for 5 months and its not grown or done anything... 

[bkvreef]

It looks like it's Xenia?  Some people can't grow it in their tanks but for those that can it has a tendency to overtake everything!
The only idea I have recommended in the past (not including killing it) is to try and sell it.  I have seen people who will sell the Xenia and rock it's on, or trade for corals or additional live rock.

[dee99gt]

Yeah, my petstore said if I bring some in they will trade me some coral and or store credit, but what they are attached to is huge rocks and I don't want to give up my big rocks...     I was trying to at least get some pulled off and get them to attach to plugs..

[Boonjob]

It's anthelia...just chisel the rock if you intend to frag..

I find it invasive as it can grow quite tall and block out light for smaller corals, it spreads like wildfire, and usually comes in as a hitchhiker on live rock.

[bkvreef]

A possibility is that you can pull (gently) them off (my friend used aquarium tongs).  Then I would put rubble rock into my sump (the flow was not high) and drop the xenia in there and sooner or later they would attach.
By no means a perfect solution but still better than taking the rock out and scrubbing the coral off.

I always liked having some xenia in the sump as just another nutrient export.

[dee99gt]

A worry of mine is that those bristle worms are everywhere under the rock and I know once I get started moving things around they're going to be going crazy.. 

[Boonjob]

They are out every night anyways, no real harm by moving the rock out and chiseling it off, or scrubbing it....

The coral will be fine so long as it stays damp....

Just put the rock in a bucket or bin... you will be suprised the amount of critters that are going to come runnning out of that rock... I found like a 15" bristle worm in one of mine, Never saw him in the tank but he came running out of the rock shortly after leaving it out...

Just remember to wear your standard gear, goggles and gloves.... dont touch the bristle worms with your bare hands or skin... you wont like it later.

[Joel]

I can tell you 1st hand  that an aquarium shop is less interested in xenia & anthellia spcies that are loose and not attached to something. They end up just getting blown around the holding tank, getting into other corals, going down the overflow and getting sucked into the intake side of the recirc pump. All bad from a shop owners perspective.

Another option you can try is to place small to medium pieces of rubble right on top of the mother colony and leave them there. As rapid as most Xenia and anthellia species can grow, they can quickly over grow / graft onto the rubble so that you can easily remove and sell it. Under where you place the rubble the colony will either split / move or will experience minor die off. Either way, it'll thin down the colony and give you more desirable pieces you can sell for a better price.  I do this with a couple tanks that contain Xenia & Anthellia and remove nice cultured pieces once to twice per month and am able to keep the mother colony relative contained.

It may take a couple weeks to a month initially to have good cultured pieces but if you continue this process (add new rubble when you remove the mature pieces) it can keep the coral in check and you'll regularly have sell-able product . An inexpensive way to help fund your hobby and help keep the coral from being so invasive.

Hope this helps....Joel