help with my not so happy looking leather coral

rowleym

New member
I own a leather coral that I purchased about 2 weeks ago. At first it seemed to be doing alright, maintaining its browny colour and starting to extrude its little white feeder polyps.
The feeder polyps seemed to go back in after a few days, so I decided to move it higher up in the tank to see if the current was causing an issue.
Since moving it, it seems to have turned purple and is starting to show yellow patches on several ares of the "skin".

Does anyone have any idea what is going on and what can be done to solve this?

Any help would kindly be appreciated.
 
I would start with moving him back down where you had it in the first place. Leathers can and will adapt to any level of light, but you have to do it slowly.
 
Can I ask how long it's been since you first put the water in the tank ?

Only asking because you should cycle your tank fully before adding any livestock.

I think this because this is you first post? Maybe a new name?

Do you check your parameters often ?

This is your thread, feel free to spill out all the info you wish about your system. (ph, temp, alk, salinity, calcium, etc. - lighting, total system gallons, skimmer, how ofter you do water changes, additives that you may be introducing.) That will help everyone else, help you.

Let us know. Good luck with the issue.
 
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Well, most common leathers get 98%+ of their nutrition through photosythesis, and the extended polyps are used for filter feeding (supplementing with good phyto or other filter feeding foods will result in higher growth)

That being said, in my personal (yet limited) experience, leathers like moderate to high current, you don't want to put them in a stagnant area of the tank. My neon green leather is positioned right in front of the Hydor Flo head on my BC14, so that the ocellating current pushes it around.

Of more concern is that you are seeing discolored patches, make sure to move it back into it's original position, light shock can kill.

Oh, and as above, how long has your tank been set up?
 
If you see patches on your coral, it may already be too late for it. Is your coral a toadstool type or the colt like finger coral? I know mine liked slightly 'dirty' water as they grow and act healthier in my experience.

If you have a friend who has an established system, you might consider letting him nurse it back to health until you figure out what is wrong with your water.
 
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