Birds Nest Issues Again

[Brandon Rush]

So I had a green WWC green birds nest and it bleached out. Ended up getting another one and it seems to be doing the same. Was doing great for several weeks, now it appears on the rapid decline. I recently learned that it prefers lower light and moved it down. Once the bleaching has started, is it a gonner? What parameters/ light settings in particular do I need to focus on?

 

[VSVP bet]

Ive had several corals come back from the dead essentially. However, they bleached due to stinging or being face down in the sand. I have primarily birds nest in my tank, I have them acclimated to high light and they receive high flow.

What size is the tank?
What type of lights?
What are you water parameters?
What flow were they receiving?
Is this your only sps coral?

For me, my bnests are fast growing. I never check my levels, and I only dose 2 part every other day. I probably have 6/7 big colonies in my tank. Im guessing the bleaching could be from light shock or improper levels.

Also a picture is very helpful.

 

[Brandon Rush]

I have several corals come back from the dead essentially. However, they bleached due to stinging or being face down in the sand. I have primarily birds nest in my tank, I have them acclimated to high light and they receive high flow.

What size is the tank?
What type of lights?
What are you water parameters?
What flow were they receiving?
Is this your only sps coral?

For me, my bnests are fast growing. I never check my levels, and I only dose 2 part every other day. I probably have 6/7 big colonies in my tank. Im guessing the bleaching could be from light shock or improper levels.

Also a picture is very helpful.

Coral is by itself toward the bottom
Reefer 170
Radion XR15 Pro
Phosphates 0, Nitrates 0-5, Alkalinity 8, Calcium 450, Mag 1260
Only SPS as I'm not trying to lose too much money

Flow is a MP 10 on random settings, and my Cor 15.

I'll have a pic her in a second

 

[Brandon Rush]

 

[VSVP bet]

So that looks like tissue loss. When a coral bleaches, it will keep its flesh, it only expels its photosynthetic algae. So, a bleached Seriatopora, pocilipora, or stylophora will appear all white, but will still have almost translucent polyps. So, does your frag still have polyps on it? If not, it is tissue loss which is not good.

Your levels seem fine. Are there any pests on the coral? Do you have any fish or inverts that are reef safe 'with caution'?

Also was this purchased at an LFS or was it ordered and shipped online?

What is your temp?

 

[Brandon Rush]

So that looks like tissue loss. When a coral bleaches, it will keep its flesh, it only expels its photosynthetic algae. So, a bleached Seriatopora, pocilipora, or stylophora will appear all white, but will still have almost translucent polyps. So, does your frag still have polyps on it? If not, it is tissue loss which is not good.

Your levels seem fine. Are there any pests on the coral? Do you have any fish or inverts that are reef safe 'with caution'?

Also was this purchased at an LFS or was it ordered and shipped online?

What is your temp?

No pests that I can see, no fish in the tank right now as I had an ich outbreak, and all reef safe inverts. I purchased it locally from WWC. Temp 77-78. I just don't understand what could be causing it. My LPS looks great, but some of my zoas have been shrinking since changing my light schedule a few months back.

 

[VSVP bet]

But does it have polyps still in the bleached areas? Im trying to figure out if its bleached or losing tissue.

 

[VSVP bet]

I know with my green birdsnest, It hates to be handled. When i frag mine, i have to use tweezers to gently glue the frags to plugs. If i man handle the frag, the tissue will come off and it takes a while to re grow it. Did you handle the frag a lot when placing it? Was it out of the water for a period of time?

 

[Brandon Rush]

But does it have polyps still in the bleached areas? Im trying to figure out if its bleached or losing tissue.

Yes, there are polyps still there

 

[Brandon Rush]

I know with my green birdsnest, It hates to be handled. When i frag mine, i have to use tweezers to gently glue the frags to plugs. If i man handle the frag, the tissue will come off and it takes a while to re grow it. Did you handle the frag a lot when placing it? Was it out of the water for a period of time?

Yes to both, I had it up toward the top then it started one day just expelling algae, so I moved it to the bottom. Was also out of the tank for a little while i rearranged my rock work,

 

[VSVP bet]

I have found that some birdsnest have sensitive tissue. Like I was saying about my colony, if i touch the frags too much, thee tissue comes off. Based on your situation, Im wondering if that is the case. I am no 100% sure, but everything else about your setup/levels seems fine. I wish I had a definite answer.