Pink Birdsnest is brown

[Dilan Patel]

Hey guys so I got this opink birdsnest which is brown about a week and a half ago. I thought it would color up rather quickly but it has stayed really ugly. Im trying to figure out what I should do. Nitrate:5, Po4:.08,Calc:420,Alk:9.8, Flow is generated by 2 gyre xf250, and my tank has 6 sbreef lights all at 100% intensity on both channels. All my other birdsnest are colorful but this is just ugly. If it does not color up soon it will get the boot even though I have always wanted a pink birdsnest.

 

[Cwentz758]

Did you acclimate it to the light? Maybe it’s still adjusting. I had a green birds nest that was the same way, but mine wanted more flow so I moved it and now it’s super fuzzy and sprouting more arms.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

My old pink birds nest would look its best when I had nutrients on the lower side and kept it under high par.

 

[Losthawk69]

I had this happen to me. With sps go in the tank turn dark ugly brown and over time return to the color I bought it at.

 

[Softhammer]

It takes much longer than a week or so. More like months, if it otherwise appears healthy, be patient.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I have never seen a birdsnest change color. Something must be really wrong, are you sure it’s a pink one?

 

[homer1475]

Pics would help too.

 

[Dilan Patel]

So embarresed to even show this pic lol. You know what I might as well give it a catchy name and sell it for$$$ lol...introducing Dp's "Mudslide Birdsnest"

 

[vetteguy53081]

What is ph and salinity?
Water temp and amount of water flow ?

 

[Dilan Patel]

Ph 8.13, Salinity 1.024, Temp 79.0 and Flow is medium-high...its where my other birdsnest are.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Was this the solid pink variant? It looks like the type that has a green base and pink polyps. It looks good and I would guess as new growth comes out you will see the better colors.

 

[Dilan Patel]

not sure. I bought it at a LFS brown and said it was pink birdsnest. I didn't know their were to variants.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Solid pink and then there is a green base with purple/pink polyps.

Purple Polyp Green Birdsnest Coral - Aquacultured CCGC 30 Day: Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums

m.liveaquaria.com

 

[Dilan Patel]

Oh I have that one. Its a birds of paradise.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

That’s a different one too. There are a number of different colors. The birds of paradise is caliendrum, first one you pictured is hystrix, you will probably see what color it is once it’s growing normally. I am sure there are all green versions too so it could just have green polyps. I really haven’t seen birdsnest change color much at all. If anything happens their stress response is normally to retract polyps or start peeling. If everything else in the tank looks fine I would go searching for any issues.

 

[vetteguy53081]

.even a low-grade pink birdnest should look like this at purchase.

try bumping salinity to 1.025-1.026

 

[Dilan Patel]

.even a low-grade pink birdnest should look like this at purchase.

try bumping salinity to 1.025-1.026

I really don't think its a chemistry issue more than its a I am inpatient issue lol. Since everything is doing great rn in my tank im probably not going to change anything especially for just one coral. But I am getting new corals Tuesday so probably will adjust salinity then.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Good idea, if you want a solid pink variant I would buy one from someone who has a piece that’s the exact color your looking for. It shouldnt change much from that. The only thing I have seen change a birdsnests hue would be ultra low nutrient environment and or dosing copper sulphate.

 

[old salt reefer]

So you bought it a week and a half ago and it was brown at that time. Why are people asking you what your tank numbers are when it didn't get the way it is in your tank? Give it sometime in your tank that has good numbers (unlike the tank it just came out of) and see if gets better--this could take months.