Help! Toadstool Leather losing tissue...

[Zotmurse]

Hi everyone...I’m looking for some suggestions/advice regarding my 4(ish) year old toadstool leather. It’s in a 60G cube with mostly softies/LPS. It’s been growing great for years (too big for the tank now TBH) but just last week I noticed some sloughing of tissue around the crown. I thought that maybe I had bumped it against the rock while cleaning the tank, but it’s grown larger in the past week (check the pics). There doesn’t appear to be anything stinging it. The only change I’ve made in my tank recently is the addition of Red Sea colors which I’ve now stopped. I run GFO and carbon, skimmer, AI hydra 26. Water parameters:

Nitrates: 5
Phos: 0
Calcium: 420
Alkalinity: 8.5
pH: 8-8.1
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 78

I run 2-part so parameters stay pretty consistent. I also noticed that my toadstool seemed to be in the process of shedding shortly after this lesion appeared. Polyp extension is intermittent. Also, I have some Xenia growing on the base of the leather... any help is appreciated!

*removing this toadstool to dip would be extra difficult as it’s grown over a massive piece of my aquascape at its base*

 

[Tahoe61]

Definitely watch that spot. The coral could be splitting as a means of reproduction. Has the coral split in the past or fragmented?

 

[Zotmurse]

Definitely watch that spot. The coral could be splitting as a means of reproduction. Has the coral split in the past or fragmented?

No. This would be the first time. Like I mentioned, it’s definitely outgrowing the tank. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on it. Does they look like they’re balding or losing tissue when they split?

 

[Tahoe61]

Yes, the coral show areas that look like decay and those areas begin to separate/tear apart.

 

[andrewkw]

This looks like tissue damage from a sting, or some other physical damage. I don't think xenia would do it. It does not look like self propagation to me. That normally involves a hole, and no slime. I suppose it is possible you could have damaged it against the rocks. I don't think it's possible to see measurable growth in 1 week though. I've had dozens maybe 100s of toadstools, and while they grow pretty quick I've never had any with noticeable growth in a week.

 

[Tahoe61]

Blow the area off with a turkey baster. I see Hydroids on the rock surrounding the Toadstool. An established Sarcophyton is an extremely hardy coral, that can take a ton of abuse. If the area starts to blacken and produced more slough then I would just take a pair of sharp scissors and cut the area of decay to healthy tissue.

 

[Zotmurse]

This looks like tissue damage from a sting, or some other physical damage. I don't think xenia would do it. It does not look like self propagation to me. That normally involves a hole, and no slime. I suppose it is possible you could have damaged it against the rocks. I don't think it's possible to see measurable growth in 1 week though. I've had dozens maybe 100s of toadstools, and while they grow pretty quick I've never had any with noticeable growth in a week.

What are you referring to when you say “measurable growth”? I just meant that it was growing too big for the tank over the past few years.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is it near any other coral ??? . 32 years in hobby points to it being stung. A split would start with a hole in or near center and an injury would show bruising.
With the loose tissue filaments - Its a sting from neighboring coral

 

[Zotmurse]

Blow the area off with a turkey baster. I see Hydroids on the rock surrounding the Toadstool. An established Sarcophyton is an extremely hardy coral, that can take a ton of abuse. If the area starts to blacken and produced more slough then I would just take a pair of sharp scissors and cut the area of decay to healthy tissue.

Hydroids? Are you referring to the vermetid snails/worms? With regard to cutting it—do I have to worry about the leather then stressing out and releasing toxins into the tank? I skim and run carbon, but should I do an additional water change after that too?

 

[Zotmurse]

Is it near any other coral ??? . 32 years in hobby points to it being stung. A split would start with a hole in or near center and an injury would show bruising.
With the loose tissue filaments - Its a sting from neighboring coral

That’s kind of what I was thinking. There’s is a mushroom coral near it’s base, candy cane coral near the crown that the polyps would sometimes brush against (never seemed to bother the leather) and some Xenia. That’s it. And then some vermetid worms on the rock next to it.

 

[Tahoe61]

They very well could be Vermetids, that was my first impression.

The coral will most definitely slime. I would run new carbon and do a water change.

Do you have sps in the tank or other more delicate corals?

 

[Zotmurse]

They very well could be Vermetids, that was my first impression.

The coral will most definitely slime. I would run new carbon and do a water change.

Do you have sps in the tank or other more delicate corals?

Yes. I have 4 pieces of SPS and some clams

 

[vetteguy53081]

That’s kind of what I was thinking. There’s is a mushroom coral near it’s base, candy cane coral near the crown that the polyps would sometimes brush against (never seemed to bother the leather) and some Xenia. That’s it. And then some vermetid worms on the rock next to it.

Candy cane has stingers that extend at least 2" or a bit more- My suspects. That area should heal

 

[Zotmurse]

Candy cane has stingers that extend at least 2" or a bit more- My suspects. That area should heal

Cool. I’ve actually removed my candy canes from the area since I noticed the lesion.

 

[A-dawg]

If I run gfo some of my corals will close for weeks. I never run 0 phosphate anymore. Just something to think about. My toadstool closed for a month when my phosphate change more then a tiny bit at a time.

 

[resortez]

Does look like an injury. I would suggest in adding a bit more flow directed to that area in order to blow off the slim & any decaying flesh. Dosing a trace element like iodine helps with the healing of the injury too. That coral species is hardy & will recover but do keep an eye out for any surrounding area near the injury turning black. Blackened areas tend to be more of an infection & will have to be cut off. Hope it helps.

 

[Zotmurse]

Thank you everyone for your help. I’m gonna keep an eye on it for another few days and I’ll keep you updated

 

[Zotmurse]

If I run gfo some of my corals will close for weeks. I never run 0 phosphate anymore. Just something to think about. My toadstool closed for a month when my phosphate change more then a tiny bit at a time.

I been running GFO for a couple years and never had an issue ‍;Spiderman

 

[andrewkw]

What are you referring to when you say “measurable growth”? I just meant that it was growing too big for the tank over the past few years.

Sorry when I replied I thought you meant the coral had grown in the past week not the injury. If increased flow doesn't help and you don't want to remove the coral I would just cut out the damaged section with scissors. Doing this outside the tank is ideal but since it's on a big rock you don't want to remove you could do it in the tank just add some (extra) carbon if you are concerned about toxins.

 

[Zotmurse]

Sorry when I replied I thought you meant the coral had grown in the past week not the injury. If increased flow doesn't help and you don't want to remove the coral I would just cut out the damaged section with scissors. Doing this outside the tank is ideal but since it's on a big rock you don't want to remove you could do it in the tank just add some (extra) carbon if you are concerned about toxins.

Excellent. Thanks for the advice!