Green Birdsnest Coral Bleaching

[Julian.Rad17]

The problem I have is with a birdsnest coral frag I bought about 2 weeks ago. Right after I acclimated it, I put it about mid way in the tank and noticed a white patch on the side with no polyps or skin. Since it was not spreading I assumed the tissue would grow back. The frag did great with lots polyp extension for the first 10 or so days. The color hasn't really been green but other than that it looked fine.

About 4 days ago I started to notice small white areas on the frag in random places like the middle and base. The skin on the frag seemed to just be peeling away. The polyp extension hasn't been as good as before and some of the them are darker colored and shrunken. I did dose amino acids a few days ago and I also fed reef roids. The frag is currently at the bottom of the tank near the sand. The bleaching has only gotten worse and seems to spread at night.

I was just wondering if anyone knows what this tissue die off is caused by and if it can be reversed. I did a 20% water change yesterday. Here are some of my parameters.

Nitrates- 0
Phosphates- 0
Calcium- 420
dkh- 9

 

[hellssephiroth]

Just throwing it out there but did you look for critters eating on it at night?

 

[Julian.Rad17]

I've been looking at it every night since it started to bleach and I can't see anything except for exposed skeleton.

 

[Ross33]

Are you running carbon? I had an experience where I killed a birdsnest by running rox Carbon for a few days. They can also be kind of sensitive to too much light too quickly IME.

 

[Julian.Rad17]

I'm not running carbon and it shouldn't be the light because it's bleaching at the bottom of the tank. Any other ideas?

 

[kevin_e]

Is it bleaching or shedding tissue?

 

[Julian.Rad17]

The skin around the polyps is peeling away and eventually the polyps left in that area turn brown and die.

 

[Coralmassa]

I had a green birdsnest that started to stn from the base up, then again from one of the tips down. Knowing my parameters were in check, that it was in a location it should be ok with, and that there were no pests, I broke the entire branch off with the stn and covered the nub with superglue, then I did the same with the base- I covered it with glue up to and over the healthy tissue. It stopped the stn and while it looked like a Frankenstein coral or awhile it did heal over the glue.nthT was almost a year ago and it's still doing fine

 

[Julian.Rad17]

Unfortunately I don't think I can use glue because the die off is very patchy and the frag is only 2 inches long. I can't break off pieces/frag it either for the same reason. If anyone else has any advice please let me know.

 

[nuttyd]

any recent events that caused problems. Low salinity, temp changes. Could be as much as a week or two back before the sps can have a reaction to it. What test are you using for dkh?

 

[Julian.Rad17]

All of my chemistry has been very stable while I've had this Birdsnest. Calcium and alkalinity is maintained with Seachem Reef Fushion 2 part, and I use an API reef test kit for all of my parameters.

 

[Julian.Rad17]

Does anyone else know what to do?

 

[nuttyd]

Test with another kit. I'd be willing to bet the API is wrong and your DKH is too low. Try Salifert or Red Sea.

 

[Snookster]

Test with another kit. I'd be willing to bet the API is wrong and your DKH is too low. Try Salifert or Red Sea.

+1

A PH drop can also be an issue.

 

[Julian.Rad17]

Wouldn't a drop in ph or alk affect my other corals?

 

[markalot]

Wouldn't a drop in ph or alk affect my other corals?

Is this a newer tank, or have you had a recent KH rise?

I had a giant green birdsnest almost completely die due to a 1.5 KH rise (over 1 day, accidentally). My acros suffered as well but did not show signs for a week or so.

The only other thing I've had bother a green birdsnest is a tank that is too new and sterile, in which case some light feeding helps. Once the tank reaches a certain maturity, as long as params are stable, nothing will stop it in my experience.

 

[Horace]

usually high Alk will burn the tips on BNs....if you have tissue coming off in random places, that sounds more like critters something very out of whack.....

 

[Julian.Rad17]

This is a newer tank being just over 3 months old. All of my chemistry has been very stable for the 3 weeks I have had this coral. I did gradually raise my calcium from 420 to 440 over a period of a week or so with the Seachem Reef Fushion 2 part. I have fed all of my corals including the Birdsnest with Reef roids twice. In terms of kh, it has always measured 9 dkh and the LFS tests my water and says everything is perfect so I don't think I have a faulty test kit. All of my other corals (hammer, torch, zoas and acans) are doing great and look very healthy. I've never seen any pests on my Birdsnest and I've even done 2 dips in revive. The peeling skin has started to slow down since I moved it to the bottom of the tank. Please let me know if ou have any other advice.

 

[nuttyd]

Had the same thing for me. Tested using Red Sea, compared to LFS using API. Both read normal 7.8 for dkh. Started having problems with STN on my birdsnest and couldn't figure out why. Had a third LFS test using salifert who said my DKH was 6.2. Changed 2 part to the Reef Fusion also and now it all stopped and everything has recovered. Point being, don't trust your LFS to determine if your system is ok. Most use API also and those tests are notoriously inaccurate.

 

[nuttyd]

Second, three months seems very young for sps corals. Might just be you have to wait to hit the year mark for sps.