Pinkalicious Seriatopora

Pinkalicious Seriatopora: The Intense Magenta Bird's Nest

The Pinkalicious Seriatopora (Seriatopora hystrix or similar species) is a beautiful, highly saturated collector strain of Small Polyp Stony (SPS) coral. Seriatopora, commonly known as "Bird's Nest Corals," are popular due to their fine, dense, and intricate branching structure, and they add quick growth and color to an SPS reef.

This specific strain is named "Pinkalicious" for its deep, almost uniform coloration. It typically features a base tissue of intense, bright magenta, hot pink, or deep rose. Unlike strains that rely on contrasting tips, the beauty of the Pinkalicious is the saturation of the pink across the entire colony. The polyps are often a slightly contrasting lighter pink or faint yellow, maintaining a solid, glowing pink profile.

The Pinkalicious Seriatopora grows in a dense, highly branched, and bushy morphology, forming intricate thickets. It is considered a Moderate to Advanced care SPS coral. It is fast-growing but requires meticulous water quality, very high light, and extremely strong, turbulent flow to maintain its health, density, and saturated pink color.

Diet & Compatibility:

• Diet: This coral is primarily Photosynthetic (deriving most energy from symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae) but is also an opportunistic Carnivore.
• Feeding: Supplemental feeding is highly beneficial for accelerating growth and enhancing color saturation. Its small polyps readily capture fine particulate foods. Target feed 2-3 times per week with very fine foods, such as cyclops, rotifers, or commercial coral powders and amino acid solutions.
• Reef Compatibility: It is Reef Safe and generally Passive. It lacks potent sweeper tentacles, but due to its fast and dense growth, it can easily shade out or physically irritate neighboring corals. Ensure it has ample space (3-4 inches) and vertical clearance.
• Temperament: Peaceful toward fish and motile invertebrates, and Passive toward other corals. It should be positioned on high rockwork where it receives High PAR lighting (300-450+ PAR) and strong, chaotic, turbulent water flow. This high flow is essential to prevent detritus buildup within the dense branches, which can lead to tissue loss.
• Water Requirements: Requires extreme stability and low nutrients. The tank should be mature with very low nutrient levels (Nitrate < 5 ppm, Phosphate < 0.1 ppm). Consistency in alkalinity is paramount. Critical parameters: Alkalinity (dKH 8.0-9.5), Calcium (400-450 ppm), and Magnesium (1300-1450 ppm).

Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Seriatopora hystrix (Specific Strain)
• Primary Common Name: Pinkalicious Seriatopora
• Other Common Names: Pinkalicious Bird's Nest, Deep Pink Bird's Nest
• Origin: Cultured/Maricultured (Originals from the Indo-Pacific)
• Max Size: Forms large, dense, bushy colonies (8+ inches tall/wide)
• Temperament: Peaceful (Fast-growing and requires physical space)
• Diet: Photosynthetic and Carnivore (Benefits from target feeding)
• Minimum Tank Size: 40 Gallons (Established SPS or Mixed Reef)
• Reef Compatibility: Yes (Excellent, fast-growing SPS option)
• Care Level: Moderate to Advanced