Description
The birdsnest coral, also known as Seriatopora, can be found in several locations in the Indo-Pacific. They can be found along the coasts of Australia, in the Red Sea, and even off the coasts of Eastern Africa. On the other hand, the frags sold here are aquacultured by ORA. Instead of being collected from the ocean, they are grown in aquariums and then fragged to be sold to hobbyists such as yourself. Aquacultured corals come with benefits that will be discussed below. The Bird of Paradise Seriatopora has a bright green base with light purple polyps. Sometimes the green is barely visible through the extended polyps. Higher flow can cause the polyp to retract slightly, revealing some of the green while still keeping the coral happy. Birdsnest corals, like most SPS corals, prefer moderate to strong flow. Having lots of flow is essential because it keeps the coral clean of detritus and delivers needed nutrients and elements to the coral. It is best to provide irregular and random flow as this will prevent dead spots and encourage proper growth. Lighting is where particular birdsnest varieties differ the most. Some birdsnest corals want low light, while others need high light to display the best coloration. The Bird of Paradise birdsnest requires medium to high light in order to display the beautiful coloration it is loved for. When you first add this coral to your aquarium, it is important to acclimate it the light. Do this by starting the coral low on the aquascape or somewhere shaded and moving it up or into the light gradually. This is especially important if you have particularly high lighting. Like most stony corals, the coral requires calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity to grow. Some stony corals such as Acropora are sensitive to fluctuations with these levels. Although birdsnest corals are less sensitive to fluctuations and hardier than Acropora, you should still strive to keep these three levels in a good place and stable. Keep your temperature at 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit and stable. Your nitrates should be 1-5 ppm and your phosphates should be just barely detectable but not 0. Seriatopora get most of their nutritional needs from photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, within them. They also do not have a strong feeding response nor do they tend to consume food. For this reason, feeding is rather redundant. These corals will consume phytoplankton and other microfauna, so dosing your aquarium with phytoplankton or spot feeding with phytoplankton can be beneficial. The great thing about phytoplankton is that it won’t cause nutrient spikes.
Care requirements
Purchase Size: 1 – 2″
Placement: Bottom to middle.
Lighting: Medium to high
Flow: Moderate to strong
Parameters: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 32-35 ppt
Calcium: 350-450 ppm
Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
Magnesium: 1,250-1,350 ppm
More Information
What’s the point of aquacultured corals? How do they benefit you and your reef tank? First, because aquacultured corals are kept and grown in aquariums, they are better adapted to living in aquariums. They are well-adjusted to aquarium conditions such as lighting, flow, and water chemistry. These corals are also overall hardier than those collected from the ocean. Because of this, these corals are more likely to survive and flourish in your aquariums. They are also far less likely to carry pests or disease, but you should still dip and/or quarantine them to be cautious. On top of all that, aquacultured corals are more environmentally friendly and sustainable!
