Leather Toadstool Shedding or Dying?

[chibiyee]

Hi all,
Recently I’ve become concerned for my leather toadstool coral. It has been in my established tank for 2 weeks without issue. It began to look wrinkly and mucous-y a few days ago. I figured it was shedding. Then I had a new diatom outburst in my tank. I’ve managing the outburst, but now it looks my toadstool is crumbling… I’m not sure if I should just leave it be, or if it’s dying. If it’s dying I want to take it out so it doesn’t leach toxins and kill my other corals. The other corals have shrunk in and look unhappy the past few days… so I’m worried. I have a neon goby in the tank who seems fine. Let me know! I really don’t want to lose anything in the tank!

Here’s the parameters:

Ammonia 0
Nitirites 0
PH 8.1
Nitrates .25
Temp 76
SG 1.24

I attached some pics. I turned the lights up a little brighter for a better look.
Thoughts? Thanks I’m advance for any help!

 

[fishguy242]

hi,welcome to the reef...
cannot say 100% sure, but believe just molting,
imo,best to just leave be for now, "do not move"
you can gently try to blow off some debris off cap .
if starts turning black ,or falling apart ,come back here.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is cross posted. I answered other thread

The base seems to have some rot. These need moderate light and medium flow. I suspect its not getting adequate flow, but the question is : Will advancing flow perk it up. It looks very unhappy

 

[chibiyee]

hi,welcome to the reef...
cannot say 100% sure, but believe just molting,
imo,best to just leave be for now, "do not move"
you can gently try to blow off some debris off cap .
if starts turning black ,or falling apart ,come back here.

Thank you!! I appreciate it. I tried to blow off some debris, but maybe the flow was too hard because a chunk of the skin flew out….

 

[fishguy242]

Thank you!! I appreciate it. I tried to blow off some debris, but maybe the flow was too hard because a chunk of the skin flew out….

"skin" as in like thin film, or actual piece of coral ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you!! I appreciate it. I tried to blow off some debris, but maybe the flow was too hard because a chunk of the skin flew out….

If molting , it will release what looks like a finger or thumb

 

[chibiyee]

"skin" as in like thin film, or actual piece of coral ?

Like a chunk of the coral. It had a little divet in it, after 20 mins it looked like it scabbed over (brown portion on top left)….

 

[fishguy242]

not sure what to say here,if falling apart ,small frag of leather not worth risking other corals ,
would just remove imo.
@vetteguy53081 options, thoughts ,opinions ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

not sure what to say here,if falling apart ,small frag of leather not worth risking other corals ,
would just remove imo.
@vetteguy53081 options, thoughts ,opinions ?

Possible molt

 

[chibiyee]

not sure what to say here,if falling apart ,small frag of leather not worth risking other corals ,
would just remove imo.
@vetteguy53081 options, thoughts ,opinions ?

Okay, thank you for the help. I removed it, should I do a 100% water change? I’m running carbon through right now

 

[fishguy242]

no i would not do 100% wc, 50% yes considering you said other corals were not doing well.
can you post a full tank shot ?
how many gallons ?
and how long up and running ?

 

[chibiyee]

no i would not do 100% wc, 50% yes considering you said other corals were not doing well.
can you post a full tank shot ?
how many gallons ?
and how long up and running ?

Update: took out toadstool coral… it wasn’t dead but thinking it could have been sick. Now my hammer coral and digitata don’t look so great. I’m afraid they’re dying now too. I did a 20% water change. Everything normal except for nitrites. For some reason they spiked and I can’t get them under control… I’m not sure what to do! My digitata and hammer still glow under blue light, but I don’t know. 5 gallon pick tank, been up for 3 months, no problems til now

 

[vetteguy53081]

Okay, thank you for the help. I removed it, should I do a 100% water change? I’m running carbon through right now

Carbon adequate- Risk is toxins which carbon will address

 

[vetteguy53081]

Update: took out toadstool coral… it wasn’t dead but thinking it could have been sick. Now my hammer coral and digitata don’t look so great. I’m afraid they’re dying now too. I did a 20% water change. Everything normal except for nitrites. For some reason they spiked and I can’t get them under control… I’m not sure what to do! My digitata and hammer still glow under blue light, but I don’t know. 5 gallon pick tank, been up for 3 months, no problems til now

Hammer fully receded. ChemiPure elite may work more effective than carbon
Elevate the hammer skeleton into path of moderate light and water flow
Assure calcium is NOT below 380.

 

[Tankkeepers]

Hammer fully receded. ChemiPure elite may work more effective than carbon
Elevate the hammer skeleton into path of moderate light and water flow
Assure calcium is NOT below 380.

Also check magnesium level

But probly a toxin from the leather

Also the shedding they realese is toxic and can and will kill coral it gets stuck on

First hand experience here

No longer keep leathers if I did would be a leather only tank

 

[Tankkeepers]

You have to run carbon with alot of soft coral

Some produce toxins that outright kill while other inhibit growth

 

[lexiehayden]

I’m worried about mine too… Is this normal? I’ve had this toadstool coral about 2 weeks. First 3 days it opened up some, the arms as I call them came out some. I read they like a lot of water movement so I moved the rock under the output . Is this normal? Hasn’t opened up in a week n is dropped over my water is always perfect, I do 30% water changes every 2 weeks. I’ve had 2 anemones for 4 months now and they do just fine

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/ff/15/C842C5C6-B503-495C-816E-8EA9C3E240B8/IMG_9574.HEIC

 

[lexiehayden]

Pics below, any advice would help… thanks