Birdsnest coral (Seriatopora hystrix) care guide

Group
Corals
Other names
Pink birdsnest, Needle coral, Brush coral, Finger coral
Family
Pocilloporidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, including Tonga, Fiji and Indonesia
Water
saltwater
Temperature
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
dKH 8–12
Care level
intermediate
Reef safe
yes
Lighting
High; about PAR 250–350 (Top Shelf figure for the genus)
Flow
Medium to strong, turbulent

Care

Seriatopora hystrix is the birdsnest coral, a small-polyp stony (SPS) coral with thin, delicate branches ending in needle-like tips that form a dense, nest-like bush. Pink is the classic colour; LiveAquaria also lists pink with green polyps, pink with yellow tips and neon green forms. It is also called needle or brush coral. Branches are brittle, so handle it by its base or plug. Placement: middle to top of the rockwork in medium to strong flow, with 5–8 cm clearance from neighbours. It needs high light to keep its colour. Top Shelf Aquatics' profile for the related green birdsnest (Seriatopora guttata) gives about PAR 250–350, acclimatised gradually over 1–2 weeks, and turbulent, randomised flow rather than a direct jet. Water: alkalinity dKH 8–12, pH 8.1–8.4, with regular calcium, strontium, magnesium and trace element dosing. Keep alkalinity swings small. Paling suggests too much light or a sudden change; browning suggests low light or high nutrients. It grows fairly quickly into a bushy colony. Selling: this is a CITES Appendix II coral. Frags grown in the UK can be sold freely; wild-collected or imported pieces must have been legally imported with CITES paperwork. Maricultured and aquacultured pieces are available. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/birdsnest-coral); Top Shelf Aquatics (topshelfaquatics.com/pages/corals/green-birdsnest-coral). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Photosynthetic: it does not need feeding to stay healthy, but it takes micro-plankton and filter-feeder foods, which can help growth and colour.

Breeding

Easy. Snip a branch tip with bone cutters and glue it to a plug with gel superglue; branches that break off accidentally also grow on. It sometimes drops branches that settle and grow by themselves.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful, with short polyps, but it can sting by contact, so do not let it touch other corals. Keep it away from long-sweeper LPS such as torch and hammer corals and from favias. Large crabs and nippy fish can break its fragile branches.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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