normal leather coral behavior?

[copi]

I got a leather of some type yesterday (see photo, below -- taken very shortly after putting it in the main tank). I then moved it about halfway up my tank (29 bow, 4.5 wpg PC) in a moderate flow area. This morning it looks very droopy -- I don't have a photo of it in it's present condition. The color has changed from grey to grey, pink, and white. Also, it seems to be pushing away from the LR to which it's attached.

Is this normal?

 

[copi]

Also, there appear to be small, thin, colorless sheets of some kind (mucous maybe?) peeling off of the surface of the leather.

 

[Phyl]

It sounds like it is shedding. As long as it is getting good water flow it should be able to shed by itself but you can help it along once the skin starts coming off by blowing it gently with a turkey baster. The fisrt time this happened to my finger leather I panicked. With some reassurance from the folks here and a little patience it managed to shed and was big and beautiful in 3 days time. Mine is shedding again now. They shed when they're stressed, I think (as in the move). I think they also shed when they're growing. My other leather sheds once in a while too.