Finger leather dying or shedding?

fltohi · Aug 10, 2021

Hey all, I am new to the reef gang. I had a simple zoa tank with a watchman a couple years back but had equipment failure and got out. Now I am back with a fiji 10. I used live sand and life rock with about a pound of live rock in the sump compartments. I dose bactro start daily and spot feed my two hermits and Nass snail ever other day. The tank is two weeks old and after listening to reef builders when they said you can drop an easy coral in a day or two after, I liked that idea. I waited until this last Saturday and added a green sinularia. My light was too bright and there was not enough flow so I moved it and lowered the light intensity significantly. It’s turned almost black and is shedding (which I know happens) but I don’t know what to do. My test kits are stuck in the mail when they were supposed to come Saturday so other than the ammonia alert from seachem and my refractometer I’m kind of in the dark. I guess I am just wanting to know if I should/can save this or not. I know this is a cluster but I feel like I’m out of my league here knowledge wise

coralfishreef · Aug 10, 2021

That doesn’t look normal, but it might just be shedding. Gently blast it with a turkey baster.

fltohi · Aug 10, 2021

coralfishreef said:
That doesn’t look normal, but it might just be shedding. Gently blast it with a turkey baster.

Basted it and has a bit more color underneath. But still no where near normal This was it on Saturday

fltohi · Aug 10, 2021

Just an update, moved the rock in front and saw the foot melted off and it smelled horrendous. So I disposed of it

Uncle99 · Aug 10, 2021

Good idea, just going to pollute your tank.
I think softies in a two week tank is just bad advice.
I don’t even add one until chemistry is spot on and stable.
Otherwise they just melt.

fltohi · Aug 11, 2021

Uncle99 said:
Good idea, just going to pollute your tank.
I think softies in a two week tank is just bad advice.
I don’t even add one until chemistry is spot on and stable.
Otherwise they just melt.

Yeah I am going to wait until the beginning of September to add some Xenia and palys now. Do you think after I get my test kits in if everything is good I could add one clown at the end of next week?