Ponape birdsnest

greg1786

greg1786

Active member
I purchased a ponape birdsnest frag three months ago from a LFS. The frag was incredibly small at about 1/2" with only two branches. It was however only 10$ and was a beautiful yellow with bright pink tips. I started it out on the sandbed and over the first month slowly moved it up about 1/3 of the way to the top. Since the last move two months ago, it has grown significantly and has tripled in size. The problem is that its lost most of its color. Instead of the vibrant yellow its kind of a drab washed out pink color. I thought perhaps it wasnt getting enough light so I moved it about a week ago. I did not move it up, but only 8" to the left, because it was near the edge of where my fixture ends. Not a big move and hobestly not a ton more light, however now, three of the tips on the branches are turning white. I have no clue whats going on with. Any help is much appreciated I will post pics and my current params in a few minutes after I finish testing. Thanks
 
Ok so my parameters are all fine, they are always rock solid, but seeing as im having this issue I figured it was pertinent to test. Alk 8.5, cal 440, mag 1350, ph 8.2, phos .04, nitrate undetectable, salinity 1.025 and temp is 78.6. Everything else in the tank looks great, my tank is an sps dom mixed reef. Heres the pic, notice the branches on the right side ImageUploadedByTapatalk1380433263.801898.jpg
 
That is one of a few SPS that actually do better in lower light. Your parameters are fine, don't stress that. Put it in much lower light and I bet it colors back up.

I had one a few years ago that had faded badly as well. It wasn't until it got shaded by another coral that it started to color up.
 
What has been suggested is likely true. Though, so know next to nothing about your setup....
 
ostrow said:
What has been suggested is likely true. Though, so know next to nothing about your setup....
Click to expand...

My set up is a 125 gallon sps dom mixed reef. 8x54watt t5 ho aquaticlife fixture with ati and geisemann bulbs. Reef octopus in sump skimmer, wp40, macro algae, gfo, and chemi pure elite in sump, 150 lbs of LR, and I manually dose B ionic two part. If you need any other info let me know. Otherwise thanks for all the responses guys
 
ostrow said:
Ponape under T5? Maybe that's it?
Click to expand...

Perhaps? The store I bought it from had its colony under t5 ho and it looked great. Although the frag that I bought was under LED in a different tank. I will try shading it or moving it lower in the tank to see if that helps. Think I should cut the tips off that have turned white?
 
ostrow said:
Ponape under T5? Maybe that's it?
Click to expand...

How so? My birdsnests have always thrived under T5. I'm not sure if you're indicating this is too much light or too little light. An 8 bulb T5 can pack a punch, so I think that too much light might be an plausible culprit. What are your parameters, particularly PO4 and NO3 for the dull coloration, and Alk for the white tips?
 
ghostman said:
How so? My birdsnests have always thrived under T5. I'm not sure if you're indicating this is too much light or too little light. An 8 bulb T5 can pack a punch, so I think that too much light might be an plausible culprit. What are your parameters, particularly PO4 and NO3 for the dull coloration, and Alk for the white tips?
Click to expand...

I have four other birdsnests that are all doing very well. Nothing else in the tank is having issues at all, in fact I just got an oregon tort three weeks ago and it was slighty browned out from being in the sellers sump though it was a beautiful piece, and over the last few weeks in my tank it has colored up and is completely blue. I listed my parameters a few posts up but alk is 8.5 phos is .04 and nitrate is undetectable. Im leaning towards too much light as I cant see what rlse it could be. Especially considering nothing else is showing signs of stress
 
That does not look like a ponape. I agree, ponape's do better in lower light. Your coral looked very unhappy. Hope it pulls through.....GL!
 
Thanks greg1786. I Missed the post with your parameters. They are spot on. The branches on the right seem to be burned from another coral. Anything touching it? As mentioned above, lower your coral, and I hope it does better there.
 
rovster said:
That does not look like a ponape. I agree, ponape's do better in lower light. Your coral looked very unhappy. Hope it pulls through.....GL!
Click to expand...

I assure you it is a ponape bnest lol, it is just extremely unhappy with me at the moment. Thank you again for all the advice. Im still wondering though should I clip off the branches that have turned completely white? Or will they get color back once the frag becomes happy and healthy
 
ghostman said:
Thanks greg1786. I Missed the post with your parameters. They are spot on. The branches on the right seem to be burned from another coral. Anything touching it? As mentioned above, lower your coral, and I hope it does better there.
Click to expand...

I moved the bnest when I got home from work about 25 minutes ago its lower and partially shaded. It was not close enough to anything that would sting it, the clost coral was some lunar eclipse palys but I am pretty sure they cant sting it. Other than that there is a frogspawn on the same side of the tank but it is in the sandbed and at least a foot and half away.
 
Doesn't look at all like a ponape.

The majano to the lower left will become problemmatic too....
 
I've had a ponape for close to a year, it started as a tiny frag from ORA (not sure if that makes any difference) and has grown very well and has great color.

I have it near the top of my tank under 4 AI Vegas in a 4 ft tank running ~60% so I'm not sure I buy the low light thing. I did start it under low light and slowly moved it up to high light, but I do that for everything.

Then again Useful Idiot's looks amazing and I've been wrong more than once or twice.

Looking at your growth pattern compared to Useful's and mine makes me think that there may be more going on with your coral. It seems to be missing the very pointed growth tips that I've seen in every other Ponape birdsnest.

The picture of mine is terrible, but thats a cell phone for you.
 

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