Pink Birdsnest problem

BCWolfen · #1 01-08-2006, 06:47 PM

I have had a pink birds nest frag for almost 4 months now. On one side it has a small patch where the skeleton had turned green. Its been that way since day 1. The patch has slowly been growing over the past few months and is now alomost all the way up the main trunk. I had hoped it would heal itself, but its becoming apparent that this is not the case. The other side of the frag has great polyp extesion!! Its looks liek a fuzzy little blanket they are so long.

There are a few small branches with 2 tips. By small I mean less than 1/2" in length.
Would I be better off trying to frag off these tiny tips and securing them to the rockwork in hopes of them surving? What are the chances of such small frags making it?

Thansk for the advice.

christyf5 · #2 01-08-2006, 07:08 PM

So you're saying its growing, just not healing over where the green parts are? Or its deteriorating altogether? Tiny frags are a hit or miss.

It probably won't regrow on the green parts as algae has invaded the skeleton and most likely nutrients have penetrated it as well. I find as soon as any part of a coral skeleton turns green that it should just be removed as no tissue will ever color it again. On the flip side, if the skeleton remains white or off white, the tissue will regrow over it.

If its heading south, I suppose it couldn't hurt to try fragging it. I have a chunk of PBN you can have if it doesn't make it.

Christy

BCWolfen · #3 01-08-2006, 07:10 PM

Thansk for the offer Christy. It seems that the green is spreading very slowly. I will keep and eye on it for a bit longer. The branch with the tips is on the far opposite of the dead zone. So I may let it grow some more and then try to frag it off before the dead zone reaches it.

christyf5 · #4 01-08-2006, 07:14 PM

birdsnests seem to grow pretty quick IMO, hopefully the coral growth will outdo the algae growth and you can frag it soon

Another thing you could try is covering over the green part with crazy glue. Basically you would be sealing off the skeleton from bacteria and algae invaders, but at risk of further damaging coral tissue.