Looking to get my first toadstool leather. What will I need to test for?

[SharkRacer]

I’m enamored with toadstool leather corals and want to buy one that my clowns will hopefully take a liking to.

I’m 7 months into my 55g tank and test and keep my salinity, nitrates, nitrates, calcium and ammonia at recommended levels.

I’m using RODI water, 3 decent powerheads and am running a Fluval marine 3.0 (I have a more powerful hanging light I could add if needed)

I have 2 clowns, a yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp, a purple Firefish, 3 cardinals and a 6-line.


What else should I be testing or doing in order to have a toadstool thrive?

 

[SharkRacer]

As you can see I also have a Duncan (that has doubled in size in 3 months) and a trumpet coral that has been doing very well but not growing much.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Toads are pretty hardy, but clowns trying to host in it will likely irritate it.

 

[SharkRacer]

Toads are pretty hardy, but clowns trying to host in it will likely irritate it.

Oh snap, I didn’t know that. What would you suggest for the clowns that is a beginner level coral?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Oh snap, I didn’t know that. What would you suggest for the clowns that is a beginner level coral?

No coral is ideal. Clowns have a commensel relationship with some anemones in nature. The ones most commonly found in our tanks are bubbletips and carpet anemones. When clownfish substitute a coral for a nem, it sometimes is ok, but depending on how active/aggressive they are with the coral, it can be very detrimental.
In short, if your clowns start to try to host in a coral, it may or may not be a problem, but I would not recommend purchasing any coral specifically hoping the clowns will do this.

 

[Wasabiroot]

The clowns will be hosted by nearly anything, including a pop can.
Unless the leather is actively irritated, I wouldn't be concerned.
Leathers as a whole are very hardy. Make sure it gets enough light (it's photosynthetic too) and decent flow and it should do great. These guys don't mind higher nutrients. Just check the usual stuff- salinity /nitrates phosphates alk and you should be fine.

Some easy beginner corals:
Mushrooms (rhodactis, discosoma)
Gsp (green star polyp, can spread, caution)
Zoanthids (most varieties)
Candy cane
Leathers (sinularia, nepthea, sarcophyton, etc)
Some gorgonians (ensure not NPS)
Fox coral
Xenia (will spread, caution)
Favites/"Favia"/Goniastrea/etc
Leptoseris
Ricordea florida

Avoid:
Hammers/frogspawn/torches (slightly more difficult without dosing, can be finicky, and your clowns may irritate it)
Elegance (iffy with clowns)
Ricordea yuma
Anemones (not beginner friendly)

You have what looks to be a solid routine and some patience.

One more thing-as you've seen likely, toadstools can get very big.

Avoid buying livestock for your clowns specifically; they likely won't pick the same thing as you and it's not a guarantee they'll be hosted. You COULD theoretically get a bubble tip (it's early enough and there isn't other corals for it to sting as it finds a spot) but I honestly would avoid anemones altogether until at least a year in and only if you think it's right for your tank.

I have seen clowns be hosted by longer tentacle variety of toadstool (such as Weeping Willow) but again, no guarantee. Clowns are weird.

 

[Pod_01]

As mentioned clowns are weird, here is mine:

 

[jabberwock]

As mentioned clowns are weird, here is mine:

That's funny right there...

 

[Spare time]

Are you currently testing alk (and calcium but alk is more important imo)? Keeping s leather requires less work than the duncan and trumpet.


Your trumpet not growing much is probably due to the light being rather weak.

 

[Spare time]

As mentioned clowns are weird, here is mine:

That's actually really cute haha

 

[SharkRacer]

Are you currently testing alk (and calcium but alk is more important imo)? Keeping s leather requires less work than the duncan and trumpet.


Your trumpet not growing much is probably due to the light being rather weak.

I’m not testing Alkalinity yet. And thanks for the tip on the trumpet needing more light. I’m adding one this weekend. Does it matter if it’s white or blue to get the trumpet to grow?

 

[jabberwock]

Toadstool is pretty easy. Be prepared to move it around to get the right combination of flow and light. When it sloughs, don't worry.

 

[Gatorpa]

I’m not testing Alkalinity yet. And thanks for the tip on the trumpet needing more light. I’m adding one this weekend. Does it matter if it’s white or blue to get the trumpet to grow?

Needs to be multi spectrum. what are you planning on buying?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

As mentioned clowns are weird, here is mine:

Is his name Waldo?

 

[Gtinnel]

I’m sure it’s different from case to case but my clowns lived in my toadstool while it was in my tank and it never bothered the coral at all.

 

[Bfragale]

Hello,

I think when it comes to testing you should test for all the main ones. This is what I test for and the levels I like:

temp: approx 78 degrees

Salinity 1.025- 1.026- best tool is a refractometer

ph: 7.8-8.3+ - for me I like 8 and above.

alkalinity- I shoot for 9- some for less but I think most important is stability with alk. Never raise it more then 1 dkh at a time

calcium: 420-450

magnesium i shoot for 1350

nitrate- I shoot for 10ppm

phosphates i shoot for .01 ppm

once cycled you won’t need to test Ammonia or nitrite.

if your planning on keeping most corals- you should be testing these parameters regularly.

good luck my friend and happy reefing!

 

[Cool Ethan]

So clowns are definitely weird. I had my bonded pair before I had coral. Since added a decent amount, they have attempted to be hosted by the purple monster zoa "colony" (~8 polyps), my 4 headed duncan, and my medium green goni. All of them initialy would close up when rubbed, but eventually got used to them and don't flinch anymore.

They have NOT attempted to be hosted by my BTA. Possibly because its small, possibly because my midas blenny guards that area, and possibly because they are weird.

As for the toadstool, you can almost certainly add it already. But don't expect the clowns to care, but possibly when its huge.

More importantly, it doesn't seem like anyone has mentioned what looks like some massive algae growth; possibly GHA? Are you doing anything about that currently?

 

[Jedi1199]

Another thing to consider...

Most of the clowns available at the LFS are captive bred. These fish have lived their entire life in a tank and have likely never even SEEN a coral before. As a result, they may never look for a host coral at all. (My Wyoming White Clown has never looked for anything to host it.)

 

[Jedi1199]

More importantly, it doesn't seem like anyone has mentioned what looks like some massive algae growth; possibly GHA? Are you doing anything about that currently?

The very first thought that popped into my head when I read the OP was "You need to get rid of all that GHA!!"


Anyways.... Toadstool leathers in my experience are no more finicky than any other coral. Whatever parameters your tank thrives at is fine.

 

[jabberwock]

Another thing to consider...

Most of the clowns available at the LFS are captive bred. These fish have lived their entire life in a tank and have likely never even SEEN a coral before. As a result, they may never look for a host coral at all. (My Wyoming White Clown has never looked for anything to host it.)

I have heard of captive bred clowns hosting a powerhead.