Concern About my Toadstool

NDIrish · Jun 4, 2020

My tank is 4 months old. All parameters are in check.
Should I be concerned about my toadstool or is this normal?

I bought the toadstool 5/23. I removed it from the LFS rock and did a Bayer dip. Attached to a piece of rubble with a rubber band.
Placed it in the bottom of my tank. Next day when the lights came on, it extended it polys. Did this routine for about 4 days.

Then I did a little tank cleaning and a 10% water change. After that it has retracted it's polyps. It has been like that for 8 days now. I also moved it up on my rocks about 8".

I'm concerned!!!

Know pic is not very good. If need be I'll take another when the white lights come on.

Also how long should I keep the rubber band on? It has been about 12 days.

Thanks for replying

jayala12 · Jun 4, 2020

It could be waxing over to shed. They do that when they grow. Mine use to close up for up to 2 weeks. Toadstools are very hardy. Mine went through initial cycle so I don’t think u have to worry yet. As for the rubber band. See if the flesh has fused a bit to the rock and if it has u can remove it. They usual fuse to rock within a week or so

andrewkw · Jun 4, 2020

Assuming you have no other serious problems in your tank there is almost never any reason to ever be concerned about toadstools. They are as hardy as they come and disease resistant. That being said I have had some stay closed for months on end only to appear normal one day. I have maybe 30 frags in addition to the 3 or 4 colonies I have and usually at least a couple are closed.

Mike N · Jun 4, 2020

I have this issue with the lone toadstool in my tank. It is the most sensitive coral I have ever kept.
If I move it even a few inches, it will retract for days and appear dead. Then, several days/weeks later it will be fully extended like nothing ever happened.

reefwiser · Jun 4, 2020

Leather corals will exchange water from inside their body. An I doing so they will shrink up and will fill up with water again and look “normal”. In water conditions change a lot. This process can happen quite often.