grassi Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 A few months ago one of my birdnest suffered of rapid tissue necrosis and suddenly died. Seems to be a pretty common issue. I was not understanding why one colony died and the other was doing so well. Same, tank, water, care... I then decided that it was just life. Sometimes plants and animals just die because they have to. But this wasn't the answer I was looking for. And the white skeleton of that nice yellow birdnest was still looking at me, like in the "Ghost whisperer". It was sitting on my fragging table, looking at me and whispering "why I died?". So I pick up the phone and sent a few emails, not considering that in the old continent is almost night. I got my answers, I think. What we call commonly birdnest is a coral scientifically named Seriatopora Caliendrum or Seriatopora Hystrix, depending on the thickness of the branches. The family is Pocilloporidae and the genus Seriatopora and they are known to live in upper reef slopes of indo pacific, even if we don't know much about this coral. But there is something that marine biologists know well about this coral and about the Pocilloporidae: they suffer a lot for being exposed to coral of other species. Their tissue is so tiny that they are not able to regenerate quickly. They can be damaged to death even from other corals that are as far as 5 feet away. A few days before my birdnest died, I installed a brand new MP40, pumping just in the direction of my colony. They love high flow, but not if a few inches away there is another sps of another family. The other birdest colony was in the other side of the tank, and it is better separated from potential enemies. I want to think that this was the reason, and I will try to assure that my birdnest will always have room around the branches. I'm not saying that every Pocilloporidae will die if closer than a few feet to another sps, but just that most of the time we are keeping corals under conditions which are far away from their natural habitat. The birdnest skeleton is now smiling at me, and waving his little hand, and fading away. NOTE: I don't use drugs and beer time it is far away (laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 A NOTE: I don't use drugs and beer time it is far away (laugh) Then it's time to seek psychiatric help Alex or start using drugs!(nutty) Interesting and useful information!(clap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeFit Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 watch out you might become the next tv show called the Coral Whisperer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanktop74 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 The birdnest skeleton is now smiling at me, and waving his little hand, and fading away. NOTE: I don't use drugs and beer time it is far away (laugh) Ummmm this worries me Alex... do you often see the corals smiling and waving thier dead little hands at you???(nutty) Might be time to see someone about this!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Ummmm this worries me Alex... do you often see the corals smiling and waving thier dead little hands at you???(nutty) Might be time to see someone about this!! I told you we should move the birdnest to the other side of the tank!(wife) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 I'm doing the most boring task in my job today... creating a dvd. I need to think about something else... And the dead coral is still waving at me! ReeFit, more than a ghost whisperer I'm gonna be the Cesar Millan of corals. Like saying to a green star polyps: "I'm dominant, ppssssttt" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanktop74 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I'm doing the most boring task in my job today... creating a dvd. I need to think about something else... And the dead coral is still waving at me! ReeFit, more than a ghost whisperer I'm gonna be the Cesar Millan of corals. Like saying to a green star polyps: "I'm dominant, ppssssttt" I am ROFLMAO!!!(laugh)(nutty)(nutty) Ok I hope that works for ya there Grassi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrokate Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Don't know how true this is, as I caught some bad info as well, but at a facility in Hawaii they claimed Pocilloporids have a rather short natural lifespan. Less than 10 years. So that might be something to look into: what is the natural lifespan of a birdsnest, and if you frag a softball size specimen down does each frag start it's lifespan over or is this fixed from the egg? This is something I have pondered over the years as I stare at the lovely birdsnest skeleton my friend was going to toss. She could not stand the shame as it glared at her waving that little sign that said "FAIL". Apparently you are not the only one afflicted with the ability to commune with dead coral. I say it's a testament to what is possible. Not long ago nobody could keep one of these alive long enough to grow it that large. Guess I better go downstairs and move my birdsnests just in case... and reup the carbon. Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted July 3, 2010 Author Share Posted July 3, 2010 Thanks for your reply Kate. As for the asexual reproduction, if it is spontaneous, for sure the new organism is a new entity, at zero of its lifespan. As for fragmentation it is supposed to generate a new organism as well. This is something that corals have in their dna and helps them living for hundreds of years. Let's just think that birdnests like to commit suicide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean In a Box Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 deleted double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean In a Box Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 The birdnest skeleton is now smiling at me, and waving his little hand, and fading away.He hears dead corals. I have a ricordea that died but there is still some tissue left on the rock. If I hold the rock up to my monitor maybe you could put your hand on your monitor and tell me why my ric died.(nutty) Just kidding Alex, thats some good homework you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted July 3, 2010 Author Share Posted July 3, 2010 We can try Perry lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltfinsax Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Try putting a frag of the same birdnest in the same spot and see how it does. I would like to know if what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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