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.