Birdsnest question

[Readingexcalibur]

Curious about why a birdsnest coral is rated expert. I get the having exceptional water quality and lighting, but what really makes this coral difficult according the multitude of Internet sites.

Personally, the birdsnest I am planning on buying will have 25 3w LEDs to grow under, plenty of flow, 30g with 5.5 sump, phosban reactor, and space. Any reason I shouldn't be able to keep this guy?

 

[Bige]

No reason. They don't do change. Like any Sps, changes kill them over night. Just make sure when you do water changes, everything matches. Salinity, and temp especially.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Cool. Thanks for the input. I match my salinity at 1.024 with RODI and do my water changes at the sump level.

 

[Bige]

You should be fine. Personally, keep my salinity at 1.026 or 35 ppt. But your fine at that. Changing water at sump is good too. Doesn't stress coral.

 

[jsmith]

I may be the exception but I find my pink birds nest to be pretty hardy I run 10 nitrates at time of water change and it survived at temp spike at 92 degrees. Has been growing exceptionally well ever since. I think a porcilen crap that make s home in it is the key keeps alot of debris off of it. Just my two cents.

 

[Sniperhank]

In terms of all of the SPS that I have in my tank, the birds nest just hasn't worked out. Even with a ton of flow in my tank, somehow algae growth has shown up on it. Just the smallest amount has killed it off.

This being said, I have other difficult coral in my tank that I have had no issues with. This might just been bad luck on my part...twice.

 

[jsmith]

In terms of all of the SPS that I have in my tank, the birds nest just hasn't worked out. Even with a ton of flow in my tank, somehow algae growth has shown up on it. Just the smallest amount has killed it off.

This being said, I have other difficult coral in my tank that I have had no issues with. This might just been bad luck on my part...twice.

That's why I think the crab is key .. simbotic relationship between them.. keeps mine clean.

 

[Sniperhank]

I've never heard of this type of relationship with a birds nest, only acros and trapezia crabs. There are also lots of birds nest successes w/o a crab pal.

 

[Sniperhank]

Well, this sparked my curiosity. There are trapezia crabs that live in birds nests and Porcillopora corals just like there are for acros. They share the same relationship and corals with these crabs, both in birds nests, proc, and acros have shown increased health and growth patterns. The only difference I have found between the 2, aside from them only living in the specific coral types, is that the trapezias that go with birds nests and procilloporas are more aggressive that acro crabs.

This is highly interesting...I'll be investing in one if I ever try another birds nest. Might be worth a shot if you can find one to help you out OP.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Keep chatting guys, I'm soaking this all in, haha. Thanks for all the info, wonder how my emerald crab would like it.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+501+2914&pcatid=2914
Talks about the host relationship. Although, I do not believe they would bother with a smaller frag.

 

[jsmith]

Well, this sparked my curiosity. There are trapezia crabs that live in birds nests and Porcillopora corals just like there are for acros. They share the same relationship and corals with these crabs, both in birds nests, proc, and acros have shown increased health and growth patterns. The only difference I have found between the 2, aside from them only living in the specific coral types, is that the trapezias that go with birds nests and procilloporas are more aggressive that acro crabs.

This is highly interesting...I'll be investing in one if I ever try another birds nest. Might be worth a shot if you can find one to help you out OP.

I id mine as a porcelain it may. Very well be a trapezia . Came in on it as a hitch hiker when I bought it.

 

[Rutrag]

I have an ORA green birdsnest under 6 bulb T5 HOs that has been growing nicely. It's right in front of a Maxi Jet 600 and my emerald crab does often hide in it. In fact, I had assumed my emerald died and was looking at the coral under moonlights when I saw branches that didn't look quite right. It turned out the crab had gotten WAY down into the coral and I was looking at some of his legs.

I do have an oversized skimmer on my tank, but other than that, I don't do anything special.

Here it is as a frag when I bought it in early November (I think):

Here it is as of April 20:

It's grown a little more since then, and I noticed it looked like it dropped a branch the other day. I might have hit it while scrubbing algae though.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

That's is fast growth. What is the maximum gph you would suggest to have on this coral. I have 2 240 gph hydors and 2 240 gph nanos on a wave maker with a 2 minute window in the 30 now. I am always afraid to have to much movement on a coral. Did this to my torch and it did a little damage. Since healed but I was worried then.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Try to not hit the corals with direct flow. Bounce it off a rock or the tank wall. Get the flow to swirl as much as possible as this provides the proper water exchange around the polyps. I have found, as has several in our community that birdsnest grows pretty fast. It is very fragile, but once established, it goes crazy. Need less than .05 phosphates.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Yeah, that's what I figured. I'll take a pic when i get it tomorrow.