What is going on with this birdsnest?

Peter K · Jan 11, 2018

Hi all,

So we have been having some issues crop up with an ora birdsnest we have had for several months that has been growing super fast and great except for the past 3ish weeks. The tips have started stripping of tissue and I think it is brown jelly but I can't be sure and was wondering what you all thought. Parameters have not changed since we got it (Alk 8.7, Calcium 460, nitrate 0-1, phosphate .02-.03ppm and all other parameters are in line) At first I thought it might be getting too much flow but the flow has not been changed in the tank and it is not receiving direct flow all the time. There are about 15 other acro frags in the same area of the tank that are doing great and showing no such issues whatsoever. What do you all recommend as a course of action for this birdsnest? As of now we were going to trim back the dead tips and tip it a few times over the next week along with isolating it in our frag tank.

29bonsaireef · Jan 11, 2018

I wouldn't dip it, dipping corals just leads to more stress. Its very rare for birsdnest to get any kind of pest anyhow. That looks like an issue from alk that caused some RTN. If algae starts growing on the dead spots it won't grow back. Just snip them off and let it heal up.

Peter K · Jan 11, 2018

Ok we'll hold off for now, not sure how it could be alk related though I test every other day and it is either 8.6-8.7. I'm about to snip off the dead tips now. Thanks for the input

Flippers4pups · Jan 11, 2018

Peter K said:
Ok we'll hold off for now, not sure how it could be alk related though I test every other day and it is either 8.6-8.7. I'm about to snip off the dead tips now. Thanks for the input

Things that come to mind are sudden changes, lighting, water pramameters, water flow, fish nipping, etc.... Any changes lately? Any dwarf angels in the tank?

Peter K · Jan 11, 2018

The only thing I can think off is that my triton test came back with low potassium, around 300, and I raised that to 360 (According to salifert potassium test kit) over a period of 3 days. I had been thinking it might be due to a a flow change as the pumps were just freshly cleaned a few weeks ago but to try to combat that I turned them (gyres) down since they were clean but it may not have been substantial enough. I just snipped off the dead tips and might try adjusting the output of the closest gyre to try to give it more of a break for now.

- FYI now I have to tell my girlfriend she was right about it being a flow change if that is what it turns out to be......Thanks flippers...... (I do genuinely appreciate the input just joking)