I.D. issue or health issue?

[Reef'in Rob]

So I had this what I thought was a birds nest form on my overflow wall. The position was about perfect so I left it alone. Now the thing is pretty massive (Open hand size) but I've noticed the base of the arms or root areas are bleached or dead instead of colored and polyp'd. The rest of my SPS seems fine and the non-bleached areas of this coral all appear very healthy. So, is this a birds nest or am I miss identifying it? It came in as a hitch hiker most certainly on some other SPS I have.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Pocilopora, easiest way to differentiate from stylophora is as a whole pocilopora looks shaggy with different polyp lengths stylophora looks fuzzy with very even polyp length. It is quite normal for shading to cause the bottom and inner tissue of an sps to recede. You can sometimes counter with additional fill lighting, light light bars or t5.

 

[Reef'in Rob]

Pocilopora, easiest way to differentiate from stylophora is as a whole pocilopora looks shaggy with different polyp lengths stylophora looks fuzzy with very even polyp length. It is quite normal for shading to cause the bottom and inner tissue of an sps to recede. You can sometimes counter with additional fill lighting, light light bars or t5.

Thank you Gareth, I probably should have asked sooner lol
I've never had one occur "naturally" hopefully this one doesn't create a habit of it. It is literally softball size in 16 months...

 

[Reef'in Rob]

Pocilopora, easiest way to differentiate from stylophora is as a whole pocilopora looks shaggy with different polyp lengths stylophora looks fuzzy with very even polyp length. It is quite normal for shading to cause the bottom and inner tissue of an sps to recede. You can sometimes counter with additional fill lighting, light light bars or t5.

So this would be my stylophora then. Just making sure after my previous thought was turned upside down... ;Woot

 

[Gareth elliott]

The second one looks like Seriatopora caliendrum, the third member of the family. This is the most often called birds nest.

They all have similar care requirements.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Thank you Gareth, I probably should have asked sooner lol
I've never had one occur "naturally" hopefully this one doesn't create a habit of it. It is literally softball size in 16 months...

If tank is stable they can be well behaved, but sometimes small fluctuations can cause polyp bailout and this is probably the only coral we keep that reliably can reproduce that way.