Help - Bird nest predator?

[NatureNerd]

Okay, so I have really tried to figure this out on my own but, I cannot. I need help. All my Acro's and Monti's are doing great. Water parameters are just fine. Out of nowhere, my electric green birdnest starts to loose color. Within three days it is brown and I notice bare spots mid-branch in several places on it. My pink birdnest quickly does the same thing. The Ponape BN still looks perfect.

Here is a picture. The base and the ends of the branches look fine but, mid branch on five or six branches there is damage. Does this look like a predator (crab, pest, whatever)? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. Livestock in the tank is 2 skunk cleaner shrimps, two occ clowns, a two-spot tang, tail spot blenny, and a dragon faced pipe fish. CUC is ten or so red leg hermits.

Thanks!

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

the picture isn't showing up.

How long have you had the birdsnest?

 

[NatureNerd]

It is about five months old. It doubled it size in this time.


I see the picture just fine. Sorry, perhaps I did something wrong to attach it. Thanks.

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

hum, doesn't look like a pest to me but others may feel differently. Have you changed the flow up any recently?

 

[flyyyguy]

doesnt look pest related to me either

flow, parameter, or stress issue to narrow it down to everything but pests

 

[NatureNerd]

hum, doesn't look like a pest to me but others may feel differently. Have you changed the flow up any recently?

You know I did increase the flow recently, but maybe only 10% increase. This particular piece is/was in a fairly low flow(comparitively) location. It still is but, I did increase it a touch. I guess I can put it back to what it was. What is really the mystery for me is that both the pink and ORA Green Birdnests show this damage but no other corals in the tank. Maybe a pathogen? I have also never seen mid-branch tissue loss before. Usually its base or tips.

 

[NatureNerd]

Thanks SPSEMPIRE and Flyyyguy. I appreciate you taking the time to give it a look. Sounds like it might be a stress thing. I will re-assess water quality and drop the flow back down. I think I increased it about 2 weeks before I started to see problems.

 

[preef]

I have a green tip birdsnests that did the same thing. I fragged some tips and dipped the rest in Revive. It seems to have stopped. Mine may not be happy with the amount of light it was getting. I moved it but now it sometimes gets shaded by a leather. My Alk also dropped around the same time so that may have contributed.

I've had a couple birdsnests RTN on me at about the 6 month mark when they are getting big. I lost a green and most of a Birds of Paradise and lately this green tip is having issues. My Pink Birdsnest is doing great. I wish I could figure it out.

 

[NatureNerd]

Mine may not be happy with the amount of light it was getting.

Are you saying it was getting too much light, or not enough. I have mine mid tank. Close to directly under a 175W mh. Perhaps this is too much light for these?

 

[preef]

Are you saying it was getting too much light, or not enough. I have mine mid tank. Close to directly under a 175W mh. Perhaps this is too much light for these?

Mine was shaded when it started to lose tissue.