How to remove xenia?

[Delphinus]

I find that you can remove xenia of a rock using a hemostat (looks like a pair of blunt scissors but you can clamp them), grab the stalk right at the base, and pull. Should come cleanly off the rock. You should be able to find a stainless-steel (or better yet, plastic) hemostat for less than $10 at any home medical supply centre or even perhaps a garden-variety pharmacy.

If they grow onto glass or equipment, I just use a razor blade to scrape the xenia off, that works pretty cleanly too (just doesn't work so hot on textured surfaces such as rock, hence the hemostat).

As far as getting rid of it all ... you'll just have to be persistent, I guess. I pretty much let the stuff grow, I only get rid of the stuff that causes problems (growing onto other corals, plugging up my spray bar, or stuff like that). It does definitely require a good management scheme... but not much doesn't in this hobby... :rolleyes: