How to trim xenia

I picked up some xenia awhile back. It grew and spread, right... like xenia does. So I tried to isolate the rock so it wouldn't get to out of hand. It still spread. So, I noticed that a near-by Favia brain would eat an occasional xenia hand if the xenia stretched out too far. That same favia has even grabbed mushrooms, if I moved rocks and the mushrooms got too close. So, I figure I could keep the xenia "in check" if I positioned the Favia a little closer to the xenia. That way, the xenia would maybe not stretch and spread so far. Well....mission accomplished....xenia's in check all right.....but, the Favia ate two entire arms of the xenia !! I don't know if I should feel exuberant or feel bad. I think I'll move the Favia back to where it was before.

 

I thought I'd give an update to this post. It's been a few weeks. First, I need to correct myself...the LPS that ate the xenia was a lobophylia brain, not a favia. Initially, I thought the lobo gave the xenia a "trim" by eating several arms. But, the xenia has never recovered. So, I'm not sure if the lobo stung the xenia when it ate part of it, but the the xenia has continued to shrink and shrivel up. It would appear that I've killed it. So, as much as people complain about xenia spreading too far in there tanks, I have manged to kill mine !!