Birdsnest problem?

[jcarlilesiu]

Hey all. I have had a birdsnest coral in my tank for several months. It has exhibited decent growth, but recently I have noticed that the base and a few low stems around the frag plug are bleaching. The polyps are still visible mostly, but its all white.

Tank stats:

Nitrates: 10 ppm (just did two back-to-back 10% PWC)
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphates: 0
Calc: 460
Alk: 7 Degrees
Temp: 80

Here is a couple pictures. I read somewhere that it is normal as it grows for the bottom to bleach out due to not getting light. Just want to make sure there isn't a problem.

Also, I was running (2) 150 Watt 14K HQI. This weekend we got new 10K bulbs. There is also (4) T5 atinic.

Full tank shot:

Anything to worry about?

 

[Fishguy2727]

Usually a lack of light will result in browning, not bleaching.

That looks like it was shocked recently which can result in rapid tissue necrosis. This can trigger the same thing in other SPS corals. The shock/stress may have been from a water change where something didn't match the chemistry already in the tank (pH, temp, salinity, etc.). I would probably frag it about 1/2" above the most advanced bleaching in a hope of saving at least some of this coral.

How long has it been going on?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Looks normal to me. As the coral grows, the upper branches will block the light to the lower parts and branches. With mine, those areas' colors faded and that area of the coral died. Unless you keep it pruned/clipped back, it will end up dieing off in those interior areas.

With that said though, the coloration looks a little bland/browned out. It could be from your nitrates, or it's just getting blasted with too much light under the MH. They don't need much light compared to other SPS.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Well in less than 24 hours, it went from bad to worse. I think its dead.

 

[Jimbo7]

Looks like it might be, but if there is any living tissue on it, it can be saved. Birdsnest is usually extremely hardy. Whats your setup like?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Looks like it might be, but if there is any living tissue on it, it can be saved. Birdsnest is usually extremely hardy. Whats your setup like?

150 gallon w/ 23 gallon berlin sump and protein skimmer. Lite with (2) 150 watt Metal halides and 4 t5 atinic.

I don't know what happened. It just died in less than a few days.

All softies, anemone, monti, and fish/inverts are doing well and showing no signs of stress.

 

[Jimbo7]

Its hard to tell from the pictures, but was it really close to one of the softies?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Its hard to tell from the pictures, but was it really close to one of the softies?

The finger was the closest, but not able to reach, and as far as I know they don't have any sweepers. Plus, we just moved that there after the bleached part was noticed. Other than that, there is nothing for 6" around it.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Ack!... I stand corrected on the health of that thing. But they *normally* will bleach out and die in the center and lower branches.

I'd suspect the leathers/softies. They don't need sweepers, it's a chemical thing. This isn't the first time I've heard of birdsnests disappearing really quick in tanks with softies present.

 

[Ziggy953]

Looks like it is RTN to me.

 

[Jimbo7]

Ack!... I stand corrected on the health of that thing. But they *normally* will bleach out and die in the center and lower branches.

I'd suspect the leathers/softies. They don't need sweepers, it's a chemical thing. This isn't the first time I've heard of birdsnests disappearing really quick in tanks with softies present.

I was going to say the same. The proximity only matters if you didn't have a high rate of flow around them and the softies released a toxin of some sort. Them being close just means a more concentrated dose if the proper flow is lacking.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

This is probably one of the high flow areas of the tank. One of the korelia is pointed right at it, and another right above it. You can probably see it in the overall photo on the top left side.

Anyway... not trying to argue the cause, just was a very weird sequence of events. I have heard that SPS can be tough to keep with softies. Lessons learned.

 

[Ziggy953]

Heavy skimming and lots of flow coupled with frequent PWCs and it's not an issue. I had leathers in my system from the get go and it was heavily SPS dominated.

 

[Fishguy2727]

I don't have leathers, never liked them, but have always heard that SPS will not do as well with leathers, but not that the SPS would actually die. I still think there was some stressor that triggered the RTN in this case.

 

[Innovator]

In the original post didn't the OP state he purchased new bulbs? I assume he replaced the halides and with a brighter white, possibly more Par depending on the bulb, and if so, probably cause.

Birdsnests are not considered hardy (wild caught) unless captive raised.