Seriatopora

Seriatopora, commonly known as Birdsnest coral, is one of the best entry points into SPS keeping. It grows quickly under strong light and high flow, forming dense, tangled colonies of thin branches. Target calcium at 400–440 ppm, alkalinity at 7.5–9 dKH, and keep temperature stable between 25–27°C. While more forgiving than Acropora, Seriatopora still benefits from consistent parameters — sudden swings in alkalinity are the most common cause of tissue loss.

Place Birdsnest corals in the mid to upper sections of your tank where they receive strong, indirect light and plenty of water movement. The thin branches can trap detritus, so good flow is essential to keep the colony clean. Seriatopora come in a lovely range of colours including pink, green, yellow, and purple — colour intensity improves with higher PAR levels and lower nutrients, though they are more tolerant of slightly elevated nitrate and phosphate than Acropora.

Fragging Seriatopora is simple — their brittle branches snap cleanly, and frags establish quickly when glued to plugs or rubble. They make excellent corals to trade with other Aussie reefers due to their fast growth rate. Watch for the thin branches breaking in very high flow — position them where flow is strong but not directly blasting the colony. Seriatopora are generally pest-resistant but still benefit from a preventative dip when first added to your system.