Birdsnest Bleaching? What would you do??

Discussion in 'SPS Corals' started by offensetaken, Dec 7, 2010.

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What would you do with this birdsnest?

  1. Move the Birdnest down, lower from light?

    9 vote(s)
    81.8%
  2. Leave it where it is?

    2 vote(s)
    18.2%
  1. offensetaken

    offensetaken Montipora Digitata

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    So I got this birdsnest a few weeks ago. When I got it, it had a nice orange color to it and now I think my lights are bleaching it?? I got it from a fellow reefer who had it under MH's about midway in their tank. I placed it higher in my tank. From what I read they need strong lighting. It is getting great growth and polyps stay extended most of the day. Should I move it down in my tank or leave it where it is?

    When I got it
    [​IMG]

    Now it looks like this
    [​IMG]

    Thanks to all!!! ;D
     
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  3. blackraven1425

    blackraven1425 Giant Squid

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    One of my birdsnests from the frag swap last month bleached like yours, but is now growing out tips that have regular tissue coloration, and never lost its polyp extension. It's not normal, but it may still very well survive like mine has.
     
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  4. offensetaken

    offensetaken Montipora Digitata

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    Thanks Blackraven! I don't think my birdnest is bleaching to the point where it will perish. I just liked the deeper orange color better than the way it looks now. This, along with montis and a green stylo, are my first SPS. Just wanna make sure I'm going about this the right way. LOL
     
  5. offensetaken

    offensetaken Montipora Digitata

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    Is the bleaching due to an increase in lighting, or could something else be going on??
     
  6. blackraven1425

    blackraven1425 Giant Squid

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    I actually have no idea. Mine has a bunch of growth bumps on it that are 100% normally colored, both polyps and tissue, so I don't know why the rest of it bleached TBH.
     
  7. offensetaken

    offensetaken Montipora Digitata

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    I can deffinantly see the growth and it seems to be growing well. I'm just concerned about the loss of color and want to make sure I'm going about this the right way. HAHA
     
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  9. Dingo

    Dingo Giant Squid

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    something else is going on.
    I feel that this bleaching may be due to a lack of zooxanthellae in your water column. Have you kept sps before?
    Even if you have it could just be as simple as your lights not supplying the needed wavelength to keep the orange zoox on the coral. What bulbs do you have?

    I feel that it will shift color and start growing again like blackraven's did as the polyps on yours are still extended. I've had one particular acro go from deep purple, to green, then to light blue, and finally now decide upon a green body with purple tips and light blue in between the two colors lol
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. blackraven1425

    blackraven1425 Giant Squid

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    It may be in his case, but definitely not mine. It took about a week for mine to bleach fully, but I have quite a few other SPS in the tank, and only one bali slimer died when I first started (other than shipping errors, mostly DOA but still put in the tank for a while to be sure). The main branches don't have color back yet at all as far as I can tell, but the growth has proper coloration, which makes me think acclimation shock of some kind.
     
  11. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    I lost my 1st 2 x SPS, and I believe it was simply because I made a foolish newbie mistake

    the shop I got them from was MH
    I have T5

    I assumed (wrongly) that meant, I needed to get my new SPS as high on my rockwork as possible

    I failed to take into account, wattage of lamps being used
    I failed to take into account - distance from said lamps

    I have light acclimatised every SPS purchased since then
    starting on sand bed and then every 2 days a move upwards ( halfway and then top half)

    IMO - this coral may achieve better colouration (coloration) if moved a little lower
    I had similar issue with pink birdsnest - it went orange when placed high and returned to pinkish when moved 3 inches or so lower on the rockwork

    just make sure you still have adequate flow for it , if you do lower it.
    Steve
     
  12. Mainstream Aqua

    Mainstream Aqua 3reef Sponsor

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    birdsnest are actually really hardy and can adapt to different environments. I grow them in systems that I can't really keep other difficult to keep sps corals in. I do notice a difference in growth patterns but they both do fine under T5's and MH's (250w HQI). For these, along with montipora corals, I think flow is most imporatnt and they should be able to do fine in a system with "higher nutrient" levels.

    This is one of the reasons why I think some guys might experience a tough time with changing systems on certain birdsnest. System A might be completely different that System B. Both can grow Birdsnest fine but slow acclimation is key. Hope this makes sense.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2010