[tillysreef]

my leather which came from another tank has not shown any polyps since moving tanks, i had it up high and it started getting algae on it so moved it down 2 weeks ago, it seems to expand and contract a bit but nowt else, have tried flow and everything to help, it seems to be getting more encrusted week by week
help!
the below pic was 2 weeks ago and it is getting covered in brown algae and crusing as well
its not rotting

[chriss]

I'm sure you've already been told how they can sulk for weeks at a time. I don't have anything like that anymore, but a friend had one that was doing the same, sulking for an unexpectedly long time. Thinking it must have been environmental I offered to put it into my frag tank for a while. Well after 6/8 weeks it had begun to show a few polyps but nothing more. We never got to the bottom of it.

I apologise if you've been asked before, but what are your tank params... nitrate, nitrite, ph, phosphate & salinity, alkalinity? Also, what test kits are you using and how old are they. What is your ph at the start and end of the day? How much and how often are you performing water changes? Do you use carbon?

In the photo it looks like it is near a green rhodactis, this can be quite nasty so it's possible that it is not helping.

The only other suggestion I can make is to ensure it's in some sort of flow to try to keep it clean and let it sit. They are generally tough as old boots but I'm guessing it's something in the water thats upset it. Presumably everything else is doing fine, have you got any other recent photos of other stock in the tank? Can you provide a quick run down on your tank hardware and how long it's been running. Sorry for all the questions!

Chris

[chriss]

I've just found and read some of your other posts. Looking at your full-tank photo, you have another toadstool in the lower left which seems to be polyping fine? In which case I would say just give it more time. In the meantime, work on the nutrients (cyano) and nitrates, also try some carbon which could help in the chemical warfare department. I think I'm eight in saying that softies put out quite a lot of enzymes into the water to attach other corals, the smaller the water volume the higher the concentration, carbon can help clean these up.

A couple of other helpers...the slipper coral, frag it, cut off the exposed skeleton. To be brutal, if your water conditions are up to spec, then it will take being cut actually in the fleshy part, if not then it will always struggle or give it to someone who has better water for them to try fragging it for you. Also, xenia, don't do it, if you already have, remove it while you can, it's notorious for getting out of control, looks great to begin with, but a few months down the line you'll wish you never added it!

Chris

[Crabbit]

In my experience this is quiet a common thing with leathers. They normally stop pollaping and shed a layer as a natural protection from things like algae. Also it is common for leathers to have larvae of jelly fish. They look like white cotton with lots of strands coming off the coral when feeding. Look closely and see at different times of the day, you might have them. But to honest you said you have just change tanks with the coral and it has brown algae on it so i would get a turkey baster and blast it off daily and see what happens over the next week. Also make sure your water is as good as it can be. This is quiet an easy coral to keep. Do you add any iodine?

[lindsay]

I think the guys have covered most things above .Do you add any trace elements ?.Trace soft is very good with soft coral tanks as it has Manganese in it which i think leathers like .If you use coral food are they fine enough for leathers ? .

[lindsay]

If you are local ,pop in with a water sample and ile do some tests to see if all is ok ..

[jason@jasonsaquatics]

If you come in i will try sort the sump issue out for you



jas

[mark]

I had a leather once that did the same thing and stayed closed. I had a very soft toothbrush a lightly rubbed the surface and stem of the leather to remove any unwanted loose layer, a day later it was starting to open. Its worth a try.

[tillysreef]

hi all
many thanks for all the answers, i also have another toadstool thats doing well and thats next to a green mushy as well with no probs
jason i will be in contact re sump
tilly

[ziggy]

tillysreef, on Dec 16 2008, 06:36 PM, said:

hi all
many thanks for all the answers, i also have another toadstool thats doing well and thats next to a green mushy as well with no probs
jason i will be in contact re sump
tilly

Cut it off and stick an acro in its place bloody things...