Leather Frag Help!!

[Huffers]

I just recently purchased my first coral for an 8 gallon nano aquarium that was made by Aqueon. It is stocked with 12 pounds of live rock, 2 blue leg hermits and 1 yellowtail damsel. Water parameters are all perfect. It is lighted my a 35 LED fixture with 30 white/5 blue. I was told by my local shop that the lighting isn't great but should be enough to support low level softies. I added my leather frag about 4 days ago. Since then it has extended what seem like polyps around the outside rim of the coral but nothing else. It looks fine in appearance but this doesn't match what I've seen this coral look like in pictures. Can anyone tell me if something is wrong with it? I'll attach a picture. Thanks!

 

[Keithhjs]

Im no expert but I do believe some leathers can take a week or so to adjust to a new tank before opening. Also, how did you acclimate it? And on top of that, they do close periodically for few days and exude a little slime before opening up again. Hope that's all it is.

 

[Huffers]

Yea I've read that also. I guess I was just perplexed by the polyps that were visible around the rim but non in the center of this coral. I drip acclimated and the entire process took about 45 min. Hopefully I didn't rush it but I followed my local shops directions. I plan on moving this coral higher up in the tank off the sand bed so maybe that will help.

 

[Schism]

Yea I've read that also. I guess I was just perplexed by the polyps that were visible around the rim but non in the center of this coral. I drip acclimated and the entire process took about 45 min. Hopefully I didn't rush it but I followed my local shops directions. I plan on moving this coral higher up in the tank off the sand bed so maybe that will help.

They both appear to be toadstool leathers. Polyps are normals and the lack of them in the middle is not anything to be alarmed about at this point. They look like they have been through a lot so give them some time.

 

[Starchar]

Depending on the type of LEDs that you have leathers have lower lighting requirements than many corals. In an 8 gallon tank I would imagine that they aren't sitting too far from the surface, even on the sandbed. Just give them some time to adjust and keep an eye on them to ensure they do progressively look worse. If it is the stock LED for the Aqueon 8 gallon tank I have heard some mixed reviews on the ability to sustain corals.

There is quite a bit of hair algae in your picture also. That can get out of hand quickly. Manually remove, use a toothbrush to help, watch the water parameters for excess phosphates.

 

[Thartsockpg]

Also try putting it in high flow area. I naught a willow Fiji leather 5 hours ago, put him in high flow and his is all open.

Good luck!

 

[Huffers]

Ok I've repositioned him to a higher flow area. The lights I have are the stock Aqueon 8 lights however the guy at the local shop had one set up with low light level corals and they were thriving. Hopefully mine will come around. I've got a green mushroom in there too and he's doing fine.

Also is it bad that I have hair algae in the tank? There actually isn't much in the whole system and I like the look at it growing on the live rock. My hermit crabs eat it up too.

 

[Thartsockpg]

It just means you have high nutrient levels. Maybe feed less or do more water changes or a combo of both.

 

[Huffers]

Ok. I normally do a 2 cup water change every other day. I use natural seawater so water changes are a simple thing for me.

 

[Thartsockpg]

Would you post new picture please. Maybe of a few different angles

 

[Huffers]

Here's a few new pictures. I moved him back a few inches to be directly underneath my light and I've got a higher flow area right in the center of my liverock. I think he likes having that light right above him.

 

[Thartsockpg]

To me it doesn't look like he has any other polyps on him besides the edge. Looks good I guess.

 

[Huffers]

Yea and that's what kind of concerned me. I think I'll just give it more time. His stalk looks healthy so that's good. It's still been less than a week since I put him in there

 

[Joe5688]

If u don't mind me asking what did u pay for that. Looks nice

 

[Huffers]

I purchased this frag from a local shop for 18.99. He had several different frags all for the same price so I may go back and get another one soon.

 

[Joe5688]

What's it called

 

[Huffers]

It's a Toadstool leather coral I believe

 

[Joe5688]

Man they look allot different when they are small lol

 

[Jlsardina]

It looks like a leather cabbage to me. And it looks fine.

 

[22engine]

This is my toadstool I got two days ago

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