Will this leather be okay?

[GeoSquid]

I've tried the rubber band technique 3 times without success. Even tried the rubber band with toothpick and killed the leather. My best luck has been to just wedge the leather between two rock. Less stress and works every time.

 

[Sharkbait19]

So far so good with third round. It’s starting to open slightly. Is this too tight or will it adapt? I definitely don’t want it loose enough for the coral to slip right out.

 

[Sharkbait19]

the rubber band put things from bad to worse. I wanted to train it directly onto the rock but I see now that I should put it on a Frag plug simply to get it back to health.

 

[coralfishreef]

the rubber band put things from bad to worse. I wanted to train it directly onto the rock but I see now that I should put it on a Frag plug simply to get it back to health.

The only leathers I’ve lost or accidentally killed over the course of many years is from trying to rubber band them.

Leathers are nearly indestructible but rubber bands can kill them. I’ve found that putting them in a anemone/shroom propagation container with coarse sand or rubble works the best for me.

I’ve also planted them in the (coarse) sand bed and then covered them with a large frag disk. After a few days the frags have attached to some sand pieces and can then be glued to frag plugs or the rock work.

 

[GeoSquid]

Yep, your experience follows mine with the rubber band. Had one split in half, another float out from under it never to be found and completely killed another one from messing with so many time trying to keep it under the band. Again, I've just wedged toadstool, kenya tree and finger leather in between two rocks. It's very low stress on the coral and has worked every time. I hate the look of frag plugs glued onto rocks.

 

[coralfishreef]

... I hate the look of frag plugs glued onto rocks.

I take bone cutters and cut around the frag to give it a more natural look. It doesn’t look too bad when these trimmed down frag plugs are attached to the rock work IMO.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I hate frag plugs too. However, this is one case in which I probably should have left it on its frag plug.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I used glue and loose string to attach it to this plug. It’ll take a miracle for this to bounce back though. It’s looking pretty rough, even by leather coral standards....

 

[DeniseAndy]

I will say, I hate plugs too. Almost always remove them. However, I will cut around them to keep a leather attached. I will also lay leathers in a small basket with rock and ruble to get it to attach. Then it can be glued into place. I have never successfully glued a leather. Just my luck as others have had success.

 

[Sharkbait19]

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’m wondering at what point it should be declared dead. I know it’s a leather coral, but I feel like even they have their breaking points....

I probably shoulda given up on the rubber band a while ago. I guess I’ll have to add it to the book of “costly lessons learned in reefing”.

 

[DeniseAndy]

The foot is probably gone. If the head still has some tissue, could sprout some polyps.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I learned a sad lesson today:
Leather corals aren’t always 100% indestructible.

 

[DeniseAndy]

No, they are not. They are just a bit more forgiving than many others. Sorry for your loss. If you try again, put it in a little basket of ruble and wait for it to attach. Could take lots of time, but make sure it has flow and some food.