Birdsnest help

[Qball77]

Any tips for birdsnest? All parameters are perfect and I have other sps that are thriving.  From what I’ve read they require high flow and high light. Both of these are being followed but it seems as if the Birdsnest just isn’t happy and part of it looks like it’s starting to bleach.   This is the second Birdsnest that this is happened to. I even tried moving it to a little little less light.  Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on how to make this Birdsnest turn around and hopefully thrive? 

[Nano sapiens]

To understand them, take a look at this:

 

birdsnest-corals-do-not-adapt-well-to-different-conditions

 

I had three types and after partial bleaching it took nearly a year before they adjusted to my system and took off. 

 

If I were you, I'd keep them in a medium lighting location and let them stay there for a good long time while they adjusted.

 

 

[colinadam]

Is this in the BC16? 

 

I have mine in the top 1/3rd of the tank with solid flow. 

[jservedio]

1 hour ago, Nano sapiens said:

To understand them, take a look at this:

 

birdsnest-corals-do-not-adapt-well-to-different-conditions

 

I had three types and after partial bleaching it took nearly a year before they adjusted to my system and took off. 

 

If I were you, I'd keep them in a medium lighting location and let them stay there for a good long time while they adjusted.

 

 

Exactly. They are way more temperamental than you'd expect. IMO they are more finnicky than acros. They are also less forgiving of too much light compared to most corals, so I'd say low-medium light in an SPS tank.

 

My birdsnest has been bleached 75% of the time it's been in my tank even though it's growing like mad.

[mcarroll]

just to add to the sensitivity issue...there are more general issues that may also be in play...

 

higher light carries a requirement for more available phosphates.  

 

without sufficient phosphates, bleaching is one natural side effect which can be expected.

 

what are your phosphate and nitrate test results?  alk too?  How stable are these levels?

[Qball77]

Phos=.25

nitrate=5

dkh=9

sg=1.026

ca= 450

mag= 1250

these parameters have been stable for months now. Except my mag which dipped down to 1200 hundred 2 weeks ago so I started dosing aquavitro ions. The birdsnest was added after I started dosing

[mcarroll]

 maybe it's just not coming through for me but I don't see any pictures of the coral or tank in question. If there aren't any can you post some?

 

If this was a fairly large colony rather than a frag then they are even more sensitive. It's very possible that the light change between the origin tank and your tank was big enough to cause this problem irrespective of nutrient or alkalinity levels. It's even possible that this can happen to a frag.

 

In the case of a larger colony, even a change in water flow can cause this issue. I've lost whole colonies just by snapping them off at the base by accident and gluing them back in the same spot backwards so they were facing the "wrong direction" for the flow. RIP.

 

Do you know what the light levels were like where you got it? Or the other frags before this one? How did those levels compare to the levels on your tank? (Do you have a Luxmeter or PAR meter?) 

[Qball77]

 I’m just running stock lighting with my bio cube. I got the coral as a frag from worldwide corals. I don’t have any pictures at the moment but I will be posting some tomorrow. 

[mcarroll]

Going down in light levels is not as stressful as going up if conditions are otherwise good, but it's still possible it can be problematic. Especially with this ultra sensitive coral. I look forward to seeing the pictures tomorrow. 

[Jim_i]

I've always had my birdnest's in low to medium light.  I've never had one that did well in high light.

[Qball77]

My biggest issue is if I move it outta the higher light, I don’t have a high flow spot. If I keep it in the high flow, it’s in high light. Not sure how to remedy this since I have other sps that like the high flow and light. Hmmmmm

[Clown79]

Birdsnest doesn't adapt well to change, it takes them a while to acclimate.

 

The other issue is where the birdsnest is from. Some need moderate light while others require high

[mcarroll]

Agreed with clown.

 

There's more than one species of "birds nest" so it will be helpful if people say which one they're talking about when they claim the conditions they are growing in. 

 

@Qball77Pics!!! 😉

 

[Nano sapiens]

8 hours ago, Qball77 said:

My biggest issue is if I move it outta the higher light, I don’t have a high flow spot. If I keep it in the high flow, it’s in high light. Not sure how to remedy this since I have other sps that like the high flow and light. Hmmmmm

IME with S. hystrix, S. caliendrum and S. dendrica (or could be S. aculeata), medium flow and light has been fine for all of these.  They just needed a longer time to adapt than other stony corals and can look ratty until they do.  Once adapted, they often grow like weeds.

 

Good luck!

[Qball77]

[mcarroll]

As long as phosphates and nitrates levels remain favorable (more than .03 ppm and more than 5 ppm, respectively) then I would maintain the position with good flow even if it has more light.

 

Stability is with this guy needs more than anything else if conditions are good presently.