Huge Leather with small spot

[Nanook]

I have a huge sarcophyton that is about 30"x30" that has a small spot of necrosis about 4" from the outside. It looked like some little particle was stuck to it this afternoon. I got a turkey baster out and swooshed it a couple of times and some of the green skin of the leather blew off in a 1/2" area and you can see a small hole where one of the polyps used to come out of. Any ideas on what to do?

 

[cjdevito]

For right now I'd mostly leave it alone, just keep an eye on it and if you see sediment start to settle in the area blow it off. If the area grows significantly the only thing to do is cut it out (cut in healthy areas ahead of the decomposition, completely excising it) so much better if it doesn't come to that.

 

[Nanook]

Thanks. I will keep an eye on it for sure. This started as a frag in my friends 120g tank and we moved it over here this summer to my 470g tank. It is closer to 3ft in diameter and is humongous and beautiful. I would hate to cut it or lose it.

 

[cjdevito]

It might have just developed the hole as a result of sediment accumulating in a particular spot on it's tissue, I've seen that happen often enough. Hopefully it's not anything more serious than that.

If necrosis really starts to spread and you'd rather try something else before cutting it this is one of the few times when an iodine dip/swabbing might actually help; killing off the bacteria that multiply like mad in the region of the decomposing tissue. Not something I generally recommend, but if it starts to get worse it might be worth trying.

 

[Nanook]

It would take two people to get the coral out of the tank as it is attached to 4 pieces of liverock and weighs well over 50lbs with the rocks. Would it be possible to swab with it in the display?

 

[cjdevito]

Definitely do-able, just don't go totally ape on the amount of iodine you use since it'll be remaining in your display. Though from the sound of the size of the coral your tank has be pretty large, so it's likely not an issue either way.

 

[Misled]

Dave, if the polyps are still coming out, just leave it alone. Using the iodine, shouldn't hurt anything, but I really don't think it will help much. What's most likely to happen is it will heal back over, or it wil continue open to the edges and frag itself.

Like this.

 

[jwoyshnar]

Increase flow across the top. That's all I did. I had this happen to my big devils hand. It recovered nicely

 

[Nanook]

Polyps haven't extended in the one inch area where the necrosis started, but the green skin has returned, just a little yellowish green at the center spot. So, looks like it is healing on its own.

 

[Jadams]

Glad to hear it looks to have started healing! Now lets see a pic of that 30"x30" monster!!!!

 

[Nanook]

This picture doesn't show its green base as much as it should, but you get the idea:

Monster toadstool
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19728933@N07/5170075293/" title="DSC_0579.JPG by ksw2005, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5170075293_5502a3d8dd_z.jpg" width="1024" height="685" alt="DSC_0579.JPG" /></a>

 

[Jadams]

Awesome!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

How long have you had it? How long did it take to get that large?

 

[Tahoe Reefer]

Great looking toad you've got there. I dont have ne thing to add that hasn't already been said above, flow, iodine, and worst case cutting. Good luck

 

[Nanook]

Awesome!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

How long have you had it? How long did it take to get that large?

My friend started growing it in my old 120g tank that I sold him back in 2002. So, it is 8 years old. All he had in the 120g tank was that toadstool and about 25 rose bubble tip anemones. Tank didn't see much in the way of water changes for most of those 8 years, a few here and there when he was trying to be diligent, but not consistently. The toadstool and anemones kept his nitrate and phosphate levels at zero the whole time.

Me and a guy that owns a LFS here in St Louis moved it over to my 470g tank back in August this year. It was pretty tough to squeeze out of the opening of the 120g tank and was starting to injure itself with its growth. I have no idea how much bigger it will get, but I hope it stops growing soon.

Any thoughts on how big these things can get?

 

[cjdevito]

Back when Albert Thiel was still alive, he used to photograph one that Ron Hunsicker had in his display tank at his shop. It was as large as a kitchen garbage can.

Last I heard (which must have been about ten years ago) they had tried moving it to a larger tank and the sheer water weight of the coral ruptured it horribly when they removed it from the tank.

Just went digging, here's an article from Thiel's old site with a write up that mentions is and some photos from way back in 1996. At the time, it was about two feet wide and three feet tall....
http://www.athiel.com/rontank/ron.html

 

[Nanook]

This coral split in a couple places when we placed it in the 5x5ft tank, but it could have been a lot worse. I think moving it again would be pretty tough as it has continued to grow.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Holy cow Dave! That thing is huge. My finger leather has recently started to "frag" itself like Jesse described. At first I thought the areas were dying off, but once it dropped it's first finger and healed back over I figured out what it was doing. Self regulating it's size perhaps?

 

[Misled]

I don't think mine was regulating his size. I blame the starry blennie. He keeps shooting sand and the leather is one of his resting places.

 

[Nanook]

When all of the polyps are retracted and it is just under the VHO actinics, the coral is beautiful green.