• Coral of the Week - Birdsnest

    Birdsnest Coral - Seriatopora hystrix





    Origin: South Pacific - found in lagoons and reef crests in Tonga, Indo-Pacific, Fiji, and the Red Sea.
    Size: a single frag can become basketball-sized
    Depth: 6 - 35m
    Diet: Lighting (photosynthesis by symbiotic zooxanthellae) & micro-plankton
    Coloration: Pink; Golden Brown; Green; Yellow
    Difficulty: Easy for most addicts
    Temperament:
    Semi-peaceful

    Salinity: 1.023 - 1.026sg
    Temperature range: 74° to 81° F
    Other parameters: 8-12 dKH; 375-450ppm Ca, 1350ppm Mg, <1ppm NO3, .03ppm PO4
    Flow & Placement: Moderately strong; middle to upper section
    Lighting: Strong (MH, T5)

    The Birdsnest coral is popular with newbies and experienced reefers alike. It is easy to grow if the reef tank is stable with good husbandry and excellent water parameters. One of the primary reasons for its popularity is that it frags easily, grows quickly, and fills in nicely.

    This SPS (Small Polyped Stony) coral comes in a variety of colors, allowing for a visually appealing combination in a single reef tank. If the coral is uniquely colored, the price is much more than its counterpart of the golden variety. Aqua-cultured pieces are definitely gaining greater desire as further efforts are made to master the prettier types.

    Something noteworthy about this coral is that the hobbyist can quickly see if nitrate levels are rising just by looking at the coral's tips. If they are sharp and pointy, nitrates are low. If the tips are dull and rounded, nitrates are high. The higher the nitrate level, the slower the growth. Experienced hobbyists with a mastery of water quality will grow huge showpiece colonies. As the coral grows, it will definitely fight for space, which is why it is listed as "semi-peaceful."

    The extremely thin branches intertwine and connect, explaining its nickname nicely. If it grows in thickly, the base will lose coloration due to a lack of light. If the tips suffer damage or algae begins to form on them, it is best to trim it away so the coral can recover. Macro pictures show how the polyps of this coral are all in a perfect line.



    With the airline restrictions pertaining to carry-on liquids, this is the one coral that does poorly when transported in a damp paper towel, unlike other SPS frags. The primary reason for this is because this coral doesn't slime up like others do when stressed. This one would have to be bagged in water and checked as luggage when shipped.

    In nature, the female Haplocarcinus marsupialis crab creates her home in this coral, allowing the branches to form a 'gall' cage around her. She relies on the smaller male crabs to weave their way to her to bring her food and for mating purposes, but she is effectively trapped for life. This coral can spread asexually by way of 'polyp bail-out.' The loose polyp will land elsewhere and begin to grow a new calcified skeleton to build upon. This process is rarely seen in captivity though.
    Comments 6 Comments
    1. Snakebyt's Avatar
      Snakebyt -
      great write up on birdsnest, I have a about a 2" piece that i got from a fellow reefer (thanks Doug and Brenda) back in November and i have noticed a significant growth from it. I have mine in a low flow area, would it do even better?

      Also can you comment on how flow effects the growth of the coral? I have heard that grown in a lower flow area, the branches will be thinner than one grown in a higher flow area. Anyone noticed this?

      Also good tip about the points and nitrates in the water

      here is a pic of mine, i know its not a great pic, but i like posting pics
    1. melev's Avatar
      melev -
      Yours looks nice and healthy with good polyp extension. The general rule is that frail corals like less flow and beefier corals can take a pounding. At the same time, this coral will do well in medium flow, keeping it cleaned out of any trapped debris.
    1. Bigdragons's Avatar
      Bigdragons -
      I just got a pink frag last week I love that yellow one ,I'm going to try and get one of those
    1. no_Wedge's Avatar
      no_Wedge -
      wow nice frag snake, I have a pink frag that has grown considerably i will post pics of a little over a months growth. it is very close to the top under 150w metal halide. medium flow.

      here is the growth comparison of that birdsnest frag i got little over a month of growth.


    1. Snakebyt's Avatar
      Snakebyt -
      hey man,
      Great growth on that frag in just a month
    1. no_Wedge's Avatar
      no_Wedge -
      Quote Originally Posted by Snakebyt View Post
      hey man,
      Great growth on that frag in just a month
      you should see it now, crazy how much this thing grows, it loves the light.