Leather Toxin

[Z-man]

Any help is appreciated.
I have been doing this a long time and have had a number of leather corals, but in this tank, I am having difficulties with SOMETHING and I believe it is a toxin released by the Devil's Hand Leather Coral. The coral itself has shed a number of fingers which have either attached to other rocks or I have taken out and traded in. Most of my other corals are closed up with a brown slime algae covering them.
I don't test water parameters. And I did a 100% water change along with lightly scrubbing the rocks. The corals looked better for a while but after a few weeks it is back.
Any thoughts?

 

[revsgirl]

:bump:

 

[Pappy]

Test water to narrow down what it might be. Lots of variables !


Mike D "like the beastie boys" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sasquatch]

activated carbon

 

[KJoFan]

I don't have a solution for you, but I have two devil's hand leathers in my tank with other mixed corals (mostly softie and LPS) and have not had any adverse effects from the leathers. I've had "fingers" drop off as well and end up in other areas of my tank.

I know this doesn't solve anything for you, but I just wanted to relate that I have what seems like a similar mix of corals as yours and have no problems, fwiw.

 

[Z-man]

Thanks for the help!

I started using the activated carbon after the major water change, but only in a Whisper filter. Mabye I need a better filtration system in general.

I have had other leathers do this also without problems, but was thinking MAYBE the Devil's Hand was a bit more nasty.

Another water change this weekend.

 

[KJoFan]

What size tank is this in? Maybe that has an effect as well? Mine are in a 120g so good amount of volume there. If yours is in something smaller maybe the toxin would have a greater effect? Just an idea with no basis in truth.

 

[mfinn]

I don't test water parameters.
Any thoughts?

Without testing your water, you will be just shooting in the dark.

 

[Chaetomorpha]

Ya I agree, you would make your life a lot easier if you would test your water, even if its once a month.

 

[Lazys Coral House]

Check this to see if it could be the issue. Brown Jelly Disease https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...e=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw&ei=a7z3T82iDuPb0QGyluX3Bg

 

[Z-man]

I tested the water tonight before the water change. Ammonia, nitrie, nitrate, and phosphates are all within the good zone; 0,0,0, & .25 Again after the water change, the corals open up.

This tank is a 55 gallon running aiong with a CRP skimmer and a Whisper filter.

 

[Z-man]

Sounds like I need to do a dip. Great article.

Check this to see if it could be the issue. Brown Jelly Disease https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...e=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw&ei=a7z3T82iDuPb0QGyluX3Bg

 

[Electrobes]

Make sure you identify what it actually is, no need to stress the corals unless you really need to. I had brown jelly years ago, and surprisingly it was simple to fix (I got very lucky).

 

[Cl0ne1]

interestingly enough...I have been having problems with my green polyp leather lately, contusions or leigions or sumthing, and it has been getting "damaged" sumhow. I can't find a parasite and I see nothing on or around it. So I axed the LFS and they recommended I dip it in Coral Rx. So I dipped it like instructed, rinsed it off with old tank water since I was doing a water change anyways, and then put it back in the tank. Two days later, BAM! all my other corals looked ten times better. My pulsing xenia bushed out, the torch stopped drooping, oddly my green star polyp disappeared(that another story involving an emerald crab and poor glueing on my behalf), the birds nest extended its polyps. Most importantly, the leather looked amazing...it extended its polyps more than I have ever seen and with a much better vibrant green.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

You should not do 100% water changes, it stress everything and possibly kill some animals, do a maximum 20% every 2 days if you think you need to do that we need photos to see what the problem is.