Leather Coral Sick?

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MsBeanCtr

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
934
Location
Washington State
My leather coral has an area that isn't looking right (I'll try to attach a photo to this post but I'm not going to promise anything)....there is a very small section that doesn't have any tentacles poking out. (the picture was taken first thing in the morning so the guy hadn't fully extended yet)

I did a 15 gallon water change this weekend and I noticed 2 days later that it had this strange area. I did add one hermit crab and the cleaner shrimp about 5 days ago.

ph is 8.2
salinity is 1.024
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ammonia 0

The leather is up in the top quarter of the tank.

Suggestions??

img_723145_0_196c81822e5ec1dd286826d468bbe538.jpg
 
Some times leather corals do what we call sloughing.It is where either the whole coral or part of it will look like it`s not opening up and it looks sick only to look good a few days later. Let me know how it looks tomorrow please and we will go from there. Sometimes on leathers I `ve seen iodine dips in sw work.
 
Like I said let`s wait till tomorrow and if not better maybe an iodine dip will help.
 
Sorry about that melosu.....I was replying to afilter's question.

I've checked again first thing this morning and snapped this picture (not the best quality but I hope it's clear enough to see some detail)

img_723573_0_a0896960a6fcd9a0a2dd4296e72a7786.jpg


The coral doesn't seem to have changed much....it's opened fully again.

Maybe it's just "sloughing" (hope, hope, hope).
 
That is what I`m thinking also. Keep an eye out and if not better in a few days then you might need an iodine dip. But he will most likely be OK.
 
Use salt water from your tank so as to have same PH and temp and add some iodine to a bowl and set the leather in it for 10-15 minutes. and then return to tank. Depending what type iodine you have you`ll have to figure out how much to add.
 
What is it looking like?

Thanks for keeping this in mind!

So far so good. I'm not sure what was going on, because it started to look really lousy, but a few days after that it began to start perking up. It opens fully without any sickly looking areas.

Now, if you're game, how about answering this question.....my yellow tang is really picking on this new coral (at the very top of the picture-near the surface). I've had to move the coral to the very top of the tank so he'll leave it alone. I'd rather have it in a different area but that tang will not leave it be. Suggestions??

Thank you!
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Most tangs are reef safe.I`ve never had a problem with one but I`ve known a very few tang owners that have had problems with their`s nipping at soft fleshy corals. I would suggest keeping a clip of seaweed selects or nori out so the tang would forage on that instead. Hope all goes well.
 
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