Attaching a softie-Please help

[rugger08]

Beginner looking for help... I have what I believe is a "blushing finger leather coral", I recieved from Live aquaria .. When I got him he was not doing well and I thought him near death. But i stuck with him. There was a hole that opened up on what I will call his stalk. But it finally healed. One day when I went to my tank we was missing... he had come detached from the rock i recieved him on. After many attempts at squeezing him in somewhere and hoping we would stay , only to find him at the bottom back of the tank the next morning, I have rubberbanded him down to the original rock he came on. It's been about three/four weeks and he still is not attached. He seems to be doing well but It looks like the rubberbands are beggining to age.

I was wondering how long does it take for a softie to attach? and if it should not take this long is there some kind of glue or epoxy I can/should use to secure him ??

 

[atty]

when he fell of was there a thin layer of live rock on the base of the coral? if so you could glue it down with a gel.
hope that helps

 

[rugger08]

Unfortunately it was a clean detachment the coral did not have a layer of rock. but thanks for replying...

 

[russ49merc]

try setting him on a piece of rock that has a good little cavern or hole for the base to sit in. then put rubber bands criss crossing over it. get the rubber bands tight enough to hold it down. NOT CRUSHING IT but keeping a good amount of pressure on it. then put it on the bottom of your tank in a low floww area. it will take a good two to three days depending on your tank. and it also might take a couple of times " I have been sitting on my couch many times and said oh there goes that leather floating through ther tank" leathers are very hardy as you may already know so stick with it and it should work.

 

[rugger08]

Thanks Russ..I'll stick with him...It's possible my bands are not tigt enough

 

[Justin/TiV]

I always just use superglue gel to attach corals...I've attached many, many sps, zoos, xenia, anthilia, GSP...all with no ill effects

 

[rugger08]

justin... I'm going to try it natural with the rubber bands a little longer, but if it does not work is there a special superglue you use or is it the regular off the shelf variety???

 

[gflat65]

Any off the shelf variety should be good. I have been using Loctite lately because Lowe's seems to have quite carrying the Duro brand. There is cheaper stuff, though. Super glue gel sometimes doesn't work on slimier leathers or mushrooms, etc. If the leather is healed, it may work better than if not. You don't want to get the rubber band too tight, though, cause you'll cut it in half. Not entirely a bad thing, but... I cut a sarco head once and banded it down. As it expanded, the rubber band was too tight and I had two heads. That was a big, piece, though.