Melting Birdsnest?

[MuralReef]

What is happening here? My calcium and alkalinity are low but that's not unusual they always are. My alk is usually 6-7 and my calcium is at 360 which is normal for my tank. This is the only coral affected and I thought it was the AEFWs but Scott so kindly pointed out they only eat acros. Could it be a hungry protozoan? Under the microscope there appear to be tons of something similar in appearance to a paramecium. But only on the dead tissue not the healthy tissue. I haven't checked other parameters yet but I haven't made any major changes recently.

 

[SynDen]

As I understand birdnest are very prone to this as the colony get larger. Havent grown one to this size to find out though, but its likely due to a combination of factors. Flow would be one, as the colony gets bigger the inner parts dont get as much flow and eventually die off, starting in the mid base and spreading out. This can be compounded by algae that can get caught deep inside and slowly cause a die off around it. Also those mid part receive less light which adds to the problem. That would be my best guess though

 

[MuralReef]

It has progressed quickly. It started as a small area Monday. Yesterday it was 2/3 the size it was this morning.

 

[CRW Reef]

Any chance of a sweepers from that notoriously ruthless killer otherwise known as Hollywood stunner?

I have seen them well over a foot long before. Does the flow happen to move from the direction of the chalice towards the birds nest?

 

[MuralReef]

My thought yesterday was that the rbta tried to go through it. I guess it's possible. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[MuralReef]

It doesn't seem to have progressed at all overnight. I don't think I'll have time today to cut it. If not maybe Monday.

 

[Haddonisreef]

I had a bn do this same thing, ended up loading the whole thing. Make a few frags if u can.

 

[MuralReef]

I already have a bunch of pieces scattered about the sand bed from when I bump into it. I just drop them and they grow. I will cut some good pieces too though.

 

[Scobra]

A phosphate spiked smashed my birdsnest but was not enough to affect anything else in the tank. Did the same as you described. Melted in just a few days.

 

[MuralReef]

Phosphates are the problem.

 

[MuralReef]

Do stylophora act like a phosphate sponge? This seemed to coincide with the removal of all of those pink and green birdsnest/stylophora.

 

[Scobra]

I am not sure on that. They may just be sensitive to phosphate swings. I do have a pocillopora and pink cats paw that I think are stylophora but did not react like the birds nest.

 

[MuralReef]

I removed some really big colonies. And nothing else has changed. I can't say what my phosphates were before this but it was the only change.

 

[SkyShark]

Have you seen a change in calcium consumption? I would imagine if those colonies were using that much phosphate they would also be consuming a lot of calcium.

 

[MuralReef]

No calcium was where it always is.