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Kenya Trees - can they be controlled?

blange3

blange3

I really think that anyone starting out as a beginning reefer should start with green star polyps, Kenya trees and anthelia. If you can't keep them alive, you don't have a future in this hobby! ;)

Now that I'm back in the game for more than two years, I need to reclaim some space in my 55 for other softies. Part of my monthly maintenance is pulling kenya tree buds out of all my zoa colonies.

Is there anyway to slow the budding of these things down? They certainly don't seem to be intimidated by any of my leathers or zoas in anyway.
 
C

chase33

Sorry I don't have an answer but am interested in it if anyone can provide. I agree with all you stated and I am having the same problem with my kenya tree. It always drops branches and it's becoming hard to control. I have many frags and really want to get rid of the mother plant and keep one of the smal frags until it begins to drop branches.
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I think the Hidden Reef will take those off your hands for you. Might want to check with them! As for controlling them? You can put them in my tank. They don't grow in there.

Add me to the list of those without a future in the hobby :)
 
blange3

blange3

Phyl said:
Add me to the list of those without a future in the hobby :)
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Ah - ha!

Now I know that's not the case so I suspect we have a potential source for Kenya Tree Control!

Time to analyze Phyl's tanks!
 
C

chase33

Phyl said:
You can put them in my tank. They don't grow in there.

Add me to the list of those without a future in the hobby :)
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Yeah right. Like I'm supposed to believe that. Those things will grow anywhere!
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Seriously! I've had 1 in my system for over 2 years. Never opens fully. It hasn't died, but I wouldn't call what it does living. I think you could say it is in hibernation! ;D
 
K

KennyZush

I think Kenya Trees are just one of those that run wild in some tanks, but others have the hardest time keeping them....Kind of like pulsing xenia. I can never get my xenia to look fully alive. Hibernating is a good term to describe it.

Kenny Z.
 
M

mladencovic

Notice that very strong flow, strong change in the water flow or anything touching it will result in its protective deflating and shrinking. In such state it can't optimally get nutrients and light and its growth will be hampered. As for what kind of touching will do that, anything can suffice: larger fish swimming very close, hermits or stars climbing over it. If you wander how to entice those creatures to play monkeys on the tree, just start feeding them over it. Of course, you might find that they are not aesthetically pleasing in such shrunk state and wander about whats the point of keeping them that way anyway.

The other solution is to simply prune them yourself. By cutting it yourself, you will directly control its spreading.
 
blange3

blange3

mladencovic said:
The other solution is to simply prune them yourself. By cutting it yourself, you will directly control its spreading.
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Duh! I should of thought of that! ::)

I'll give that a try. It's easy to see when it's getting ready to drop buds. The branches that will drop tend to elongate and are a bit thinner.
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
How big are these guys when they start infesting the entire tank? Someone gave me a tiny frag a while back and it's up to about baseball size now.
 
blange3

blange3

Subliminal said:
How big are these guys when they start infesting the entire tank? Someone gave me a tiny frag a while back and it's up to about baseball size now.
Click to expand...

It should start soon. My colonies are about 5"-6" across now and have been dropping buds for some time. At first it was just a few, but now I get a couple of dozen a month from 3 colonies.
 
blange3

blange3

KennyZush said:
I think Kenya Trees are just one of those that run wild in some tanks, but others have the hardest time keeping them....Kind of like pulsing xenia. I can never get my xenia to look fully alive. Hibernating is a good term to describe it.

Kenny Z.
Click to expand...

I am definitely Xenia challenged, but I'm pretty sure of the cause. My ph is generally 8.05 and my alk is on the low side.
 
J

jazzsam

It took my kenya about 6 months or so to drop one branch but it has always looked big and happy so I have never seen the issues of too much BUT maybe this is just the start and it will start to drop like crazy? We will see.
 
blange3

blange3

ReefBuilderNJ said:
i usually just pull them and put in my sump and sell the babies. good for alittle extra income if there are that many
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Well since you resurrected this thread, I've got some if anyone wants them!
 
C

chase33

I got rid of my Kenya. Too much trouble. It was dropping branches every week. I couldn't give enough away and keep up. My tank was becoming overrun with them. Next is the Xenia that came in unnoticed on a rock and is now growing profusely.
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Bill, I think Sam's out of them. I'd like some for the 65 if you're bringing anything to the swap!

Chase, if you'd like to give away some of that xenia, I'd like some.
 
M

mladencovic

Phyl said:
Bill, I think Sam's out of them. I'd like some for the 65 if you're bringing anything to the swap!

Chase, if you'd like to give away some of that xenia, I'd like some.
Click to expand...

I will bring some for you.
 
panmanmatt

panmanmatt

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I will have some Kenyas for sale at the swap also if anyone is looking. You can find me at the Seahorse.Org booth.
 
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