Leather Coral

[BettWalker]

Moved my Leather Coral from the quarintine tank back to the main tank this morning at 8:00am. It is now 3:00pm and I'm attaching a pic. It is leaning over (limp looking), but some of it is standing up. Do you think it is going to be OK to leave in tank? Is it just acclimating, hopefully? Don't know if I still have traces of copper or not.

 

[reefrunner69]

Well Bett, that is pretty common for the leather to look that way when moved. I just got one and put it in my tank, it looked very similar, but it began to open up and display polyps within a couple of hours. Don't have any pics yet, the fish keep pestering it, swimming to close etc..., but I would imagine yours should have displayed polyps by now if it was going to. The problem is that leather corals will often start a shed when placed under stress, is this what yours is doing? Or is it residual copper? Did you buy the Chealated copper test kit, or are you still having the store check your water?

 

[Anemoneman]

I wouldn't worry a bit unless the condition doesn't improve in a few days.

Mine has looked like yours often. Here's a pic droopy:
http://home.attbi.com/~anemoneman/Finger_leather_droopy.jpg

Here's a pic back to normal:
http://home.attbi.com/~anemoneman/finger_leather2_12-01.jpg

 

[BettWalker]

Kevin, I haven't bought the test kit yet, nor have I had the LFS check for copper. I need to make a trip to Gainesville. It could be copper in the tank. I just don't know. BTW, I'm not sure what it should look like if it does display polyps. :? Is the one you just bought like mine? If so, I sure would like for you to send a pic when you get one. I don't want to kill the baby.

Anemoneman, your pics are great. Thanks for sending. I really wouldn't be so concerned if it wasn't for this darn copper problem.

Think I'll leave it in the tank a while longer. Hopefully, it won't be totally droopy in the morning.

 

[fishfreek]

u will see the polyps. basicly instead of it looking all smooth it will look fuzzy

 

[reefrunner69]

Hey Bett, here are the pics of my leather....

closed

Starting to open, but mostly still closed

Mostly open on the main finger, but you can see the back is still closed

To me, yours exhibits more of a shed quality, than simply being closed from stress.

 

[BettWalker]

u will see the polyps. basicly instead of it looking all smooth it will look fuzzy

It has never had fuzzy polyps, even when it was in the tank at the LFS. There was more than one of this type in two different tanks. As best I remember they looked more like a big tree trunk with smooth bare limbs. Maybe my memory is not too good, when I go back I will take a look at the others.

 

[BettWalker]

To me, yours exhibits more of a shed quality, than simply being closed from stress.

If it is shedding, it has been shedding since I've had it. I did find particles in the quarintine tank. I haven't taken a good look this am yet. Haven't turned on the tank lights. I'm almost afraid to look.

I'll take another pic this morning after everything settles down around here and see if you guys think I should move the baby back to the quarintine tank. If so, I'll leave until I do another water test on the main tank. I'm impatient.

 

[reefrunner69]

How is that leather doing? Any updates?

Posted a couple updated pics of my leather...
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?p=1420#1420