Toadstool not opening

codytbuckner · Apr 10, 2019

I got a toadstool and stuck it in the tank a week ago. It's not opening at all. Any ideas? It isn't bleaching, shriveling, anything at all. It perks up. Just doesnt extend its polyps.

Mjrenz · Apr 10, 2019

He could be getting irritated by the hammer coral next to it but what are your water parameters and tank info? Sometimes they do just take a while to open up, the last one I got took almost 3 weeks

Musovski · Apr 10, 2019

Leathers like to shed. they can shed for up to whatever time they feel necessary. It is impossible to kill a leather unless you really try to.

codytbuckner · Apr 10, 2019

Mjrenz said:
He could be getting irritated by the hammer coral next to it but what are your water parameters and tank info? Sometimes they do just take a while to open up, the last one I got took almost 3 weeks

Salt is 1.026
Temp 79
Ca 475
Alk 10.5
Mg 1420
PO4 .01ppm
N03 4ppm
Ph 8.0

Also, the hammer is not nearly as close as it looks. No way its touching

Mjrenz · Apr 10, 2019

I'd just give it time then, if it's not melting away it will probably be fine when it finally decides to open up

codytbuckner · Apr 10, 2019

Musovski said:
Leathers like to shed. they can shed for up to whatever time they feel necessary. It is impossible to kill a leather unless you really try to.

I'm not concerned about it dying. Just wondering why it won't open up. It doesn't seem to be shedding either. I could be wrong though

codytbuckner · Apr 10, 2019

Mjrenz said:
I'd just give it time then, if it's not melting away it will probably be fine when it finally decides to open up

Any tips to encourage it to open? Move it up in more light? I want to place it permanently but I want it to open up and get comfortable before I do

Mjrenz · Apr 10, 2019

The only thing I can suggest is to be patient, the only thing that happens quickly in this hobby is death. When he finally opens you'll be happy you waited

Mjrenz · Apr 10, 2019

I had one toadstool that I moved from a biocube to another tank with T5 lighting and it didn't extend any polyps for almost 2 months until it got used to the new location. They are one of the hardiest corals in the hobby

Gonebad395 · Apr 10, 2019

They can be really stubborn just give it some time

JimSRT4 · Apr 10, 2019

You haven't mentioned what lighting it came from and what you have. Mine usually closes when it gets too much light. It doesn't shrivel, but it won't extend its sexy green polyps.

codytbuckner · Apr 10, 2019

JimSRT4 said:
You haven't mentioned what lighting it came from and what you have. Mine usually closes when it gets too much light. It doesn't shrivel, but it won't extend its sexy green polyps.

I'm not sure what lighting it came from and I bought it from Divers Den. I did stick it under some rock work to keep it from light for a time before slowly moving it out. Idk how I can give it less light. It's at the bottom of the tank

JimSRT4 · Apr 10, 2019

codytbuckner said:
I'm not sure what lighting it came from and I bought it from Divers Den. I did stick it under some rock work to keep it from light for a time before slowly moving it out. Idk how I can give it less light. It's at the bottom of the tank

Just give it time. Musovski's right, it could simply be getting ready to shed due to it's new environment.

codytbuckner · Apr 10, 2019

JimSRT4 said:
Just give it time. Musovski's right, it could simply be getting ready to shed due to it's new environment.

Will do. Thanks for the help

Westside Guy · May 22, 2019

I am having a similar issue with my toadstool. When I purchased it 2 weeks ago the polyps extended in about 2 hours and it was doing well until 2 days ago.

The only thing I have done recently was to add 2 corals near the toadstool as you can see in the second picture and play around with the settings on my Ai Hydra 26 lights and used the David Saxby settings in their "Signature Series" of presets that everyone always talks about and now I see a shiny effect on the surface of the toadstool and the polyps stopped extending. Tonight I went back to the original settings that my LFS recommended.