Troubles with Leather

[Mombo]

Hey yall I have had a toadstool leather for like....1 1/2 years now. I have never been able to get it to grow or do well in general. I have kept it in low light / low / high flow Med light / low / high flow and right now I have it in High light / high flow.

I usually leave it in a spot for a month or 2 to give it time to decide if it likes it or not..... I guess the good news is that it doesn't die. But it never grows......

Everytime I move it. It looks like its starting to do better. Starts to open up, puts polyps out, inflates etc. But after about 2 weeks it starts to not extend and stops extending polyps. I usually give it a few weeks thinking it might be shedding or something but usually it just chills looking sad until I move it again and then it starts to extend again.

Any ideas? Seems like a pretty easy coral for most....

 

[Reefing Madness]

Ya got something nipping at it? If you move it and its fine for a bit, then goes south, maybe something going at it.

 

[BootyPup]

I am agreeing with Reefing Madness here, I don't know another reason why something could be wrong, my toadstool has been growing great in almost all conditions. Currently I have him sitting in the middle of my tank on his own island and he gets a lot of light there and a good amount of flow and it is growing a lot, so I don't think your placements are the issue.
Try

 

[Mombo]

Ive never seen anything nip on him but I guess I will have to watch out for that. Ive never seen any damage on it etc.

I guess at that point I might have to just trade it in to the store. I dont think id be willing to get rid of any fish and the rest of my coral are doing well.

 

[BootyPup]

Ive never seen anything nip on him but I guess I will have to watch out for that. Ive never seen any damage on it etc.

I guess at that point I might have to just trade it in to the store. I dont think id be willing to get rid of any fish and the rest of my coral are doing well.

What fish do you have? Although I don't think it is a fish. Maybe an unknown invert or other pest of some kind?
I am half wanting to say that maybe it is just this specific coral and maybe trade this one in and try another toadstool if you do like it.

 

[Mombo]

I only have snails invert wise no shrimp etc. I have Clowns (they dont host it or anything), Chromis, Yellow Tang, Purple Tang, Midas Blenny, Royal Gramma, Zebra Barred Dart Fish, Purple Firefish, Yellow Watchman Goby, and......I think that is it.

 

[zack801]

I think i read that Leathers don't do well with high aluminum? Might look into sending a water sample to Triton and rule that out.

 

[zack801]

I've read that elevated aluminum levels can be bad for leather corals. Might want to send in a water sample to Triton and see if you can rule that out.

EDIT: Sorry didn't look like my above reply posted mods can delete one of these if they want.

 

[BootyPup]

I only have snails invert wise no shrimp etc. I have Clowns (they dont host it or anything), Chromis, Yellow Tang, Purple Tang, Midas Blenny, Royal Gramma, Zebra Barred Dart Fish, Purple Firefish, Yellow Watchman Goby, and......I think that is it.

Okay, I don't believe any of those fish would cause issues, I have clowns who hang around mine all the time and it is fine.

I think i read that Leathers don't do well with high aluminum? Might look into sending a water sample to Triton and rule that out.

I don't really think that would be an issue in this case though since when he moves it around the problems stop for a bit, I would think if it was a water issue when he moves it it would just stay steady having issues, plus wouldn't the coral also die if it were aluminum? *EDIT* I meant in aluminum for an extended time


Also Mombo, do you have any other corals? How are they doing?

 

[zack801]

Okay, I don't believe any of those fish would cause issues, I have clowns who hang around mine all the time and it is fine.

I don't really think that would be an issue in this case though since when he moves it around the problems stop for a bit, I would think if it was a water issue when he moves it it would just stay steady having issues, plus wouldn't the coral also die if it were aluminum?


Also Mombo, do you have any other corals? How are they doing?

Valid points. Have you tried doing water changes and seeing if it perks up after that? Also leathers are pretty hardy in general so if it’s doing poorly but other coral are doing fine that’s even stranger..

 

[BootyPup]

Valid points. Have you tried doing water changes and seeing if it perks up after that? Also leathers are pretty hardy in general so if it’s doing poorly but other coral are doing fine that’s even stranger..

Thats what I am thinking, I just don't know why it would be doing bad then when he moves it, it is good for a little bit then it starts doing bad again.

 

[Mombo]

My tank has quite a bit of coral in it right now. I do water changes every 2 weeks and do about 20% of the water.

The coral that im keeping currently are 10 types of Acan Lords, 4 types of Blasto's, 8 types of Chalice, 7 Euphyllia, 20 types of Zoa's, 1 Lepto, 2 Cyphaestrea, Dendrophyllia, Duncan, 6 Favia, 2 Acan Echinata, 1 mushroom, 1 toadstool leather.....

dang....I have too many coral now that im reading this.

 

[BootyPup]

My tank has quite a bit of coral in it right now. I do water changes every 2 weeks and do about 20% of the water.

The coral that im keeping currently are 10 types of Acan Lords, 4 types of Blasto's, 8 types of Chalice, 7 Euphyllia, 20 types of Zoa's, 1 Lepto, 2 Cyphaestrea, Dendrophyllia, Duncan, 6 Favia, 2 Acan Echinata, 1 mushroom, 1 toadstool leather.....

dang....I have too many coral now that im reading this.

I am sorry man, I myself can't think of what could be wrong with it especially with the other corals you have. Perhaps there could be some pest eating at it, but I don't know. I'd suggest just looking at night and every now and again for pests and to also just leave it in an area where it has good space and semi-light to medium flow and just watch it.

 

[Mombo]

Im gonna keep an eye on it for a bit. Atleast it doesnt die I guess haha. I like the idea of trading it in for a different one. Maybe this piece just doesn't like my tank.