Pink Birds Nest question

[turbosek]

I have had my Pink Birdsnest for about 1 week in QT. I do weekly water changes and my ammonia is >.25, Nitrite 0, but Nitrates are 5. I noticed that that some of the pink coloration is scaling off the branches. It is not fading, just coming off. Could the flow be too high? I have a 250w MH about 8" above the water, and the coral is about 4 inches under the water. Is it getting too much light. Any comments are appreciated.

 

[preef]

Your problem is most likely caused by the elevated ammonia. You need to get it to 0 ASAP.

 

[Chyendra]

Yes the ammonia is a big problem... it should be 0. Your light could be too strong as well, depending on what the coral is used to. Always acclimate corals slowly to new lighting

 

[Brian Chong]

did you acclimate it to that height? try lowering it slowly and see how it reacts. Nitrates at 5 is fine but make sure your phosphates are closest to zero as possible.
I'm one of those that believe, the more flow the better but within the limitations of tank size. I have a ponape touching a green birdsnest and its doing the same thing on a few branches but i'm not too concerned about the ponape birdsnest so i leave them alone to quarrel. hahaha.

 

[flyyyguy]

agree on the ammonia statement above....

as well, while pink birds can pretty much take all the light you can give them and just look brighter and brighter....they cant take it if they arent used to it. If you had it for a week in qt, along with who knows what before that directly under the surface is most likely too much so fast

also...its sounds like it is rtn'ing on you. If that flesh loss continues at all you may need to start cutting it up and try to save what you can

 

[ryshark]

I agree, ammonia needs to be 0 and I think that is too much light for a birdsnest, put it lower.

 

[turbosek]

Thanks for all your fast input. I mistakenly put "greater than" symbol on the ammonia. It actually reads on the lowest range on the Salifert scale...less than .25 for ammonia. The pink bird is about the size of a softball...i just bought it from a very reputable LFS that fraged it from their service route.

Only an inch or so...on about 4 branch tips....has the pink flaking off. Should I just break these off, or should I break off a few good branches as frags to try and be safe if the whole colony dies.

One last thing...what is RTN'ing?

 

[byrdman81]

Rtn is rapid tissue necrosis. Basically the coral starts to receed very fast. (it turns white)

 

[flyyyguy]

If it just the tips then I wouldnt start fragging now then, but I would certainly break the afflicted tips off back well into healhty tissue and hope it stops

 

[preef]

I mistakenly put "greater than" symbol on the ammonia. It actually reads on the lowest range on the Salifert scale...less than .25 for ammonia.

Do you see any color change on the ammonia test? It needs to be undetectable.

Only an inch or so...on about 4 branch tips....has the pink flaking off. Should I just break these off, or should I break off a few good branches as frags to try and be safe if the whole colony dies.

I would start by cutting well below the dead tips. Since it is a good size colony I would frag one or two of those as well.

 

[powerlogix]

Hows the bird nest doing now? Were you able to fix the issue?

 

[turbosek]

The colony was pretty large. By day 2 of the RTN, nearly half of the colony...from the base up, was completely white. It smelled pretty dead too. I fragged off about 5 good size pieces and place them low in my display tank. All of them survived!!! They are all doing great and it has been almost a month now. I am very glad. Maybe now I will end up with several nice colonies.

Thanks for everyones help, as this was my first SPS. I have since bought 5 more Acro frags of various types and they are all doing great. My new Maxima clam is happy too. I got him about 3 weeks ago.