Is my leather splitting?

[wbdevers]

I've had this leather in my tank about a month now. I've noticed that on the top left it has seemed to "dent" in and now I see the dark line forming. Is this a sign that it is splitting by itself? This is one of my first corals so I am definitely still learning.

Thanks

 

[Rudolph]

i have several corals similar to your leather and they go through the same type o f contortions and I thought something was going on, but it seems they just like to "flex" every now and again, but they look and appear healthy and life goes on....however, I hope for you that they are splitting (if that is normal) as that is always exciting....I recently had a hairy mushroom flex everywhere and it did indeed split. I now have three healthy specimens....I have only been doing saltwater for a couple of years so I too feel there is still a mountain of things to learn...good luck!

 

[Rudolph]

speaking of learning...how do you get the pic to post in the tread?? I can only seem to attach pics...

 

[aleonn]

If possible, look on the underside of that section. Is there a white crease? Over the course of a month, my leather's white crease slowly became a white hole, and seems to be self-fragging.

 

[Bud Reeferman]

Not splitting, but growing for sure.

My experience with leathers is that they don't "split" the way you think of cells splitting. Instead, they split via mechanical process -- natural conditions in the wild where they get torn or bitten into smaller pieces.

As it matures in your tank, you notice little clone-like growth nodes along the middle / top of the base of the body. These nodes can be cut off and mounted as frag.

Leathers like that can get huge. They frag very easily and super quick to heal.

 

[wbdevers]

Thanks everyone for the answers. Sorry I'm just replying. For some reason I didn't get notifications that there were posts. I will defo keep an eye out for the things that you all suggested. This joker is definitely growing--it has almost doubled in a month!

Rudolph, to post pics you have to use an online hosting site like "photobucket" or "picasa". Open an account (free) and just upload pics from your computer. For "Photobucket", once the pics are uploaded, you just put your mouse over the pic you want and after a second a code listing box appears. The bottom option is labeld "image". You just click on the link and it will say "copied". You then come here, write your post and whereever you want to place the pic, you just right click and select "paste". That's it.

HTH

 

[wbdevers]

One other thing I meant to ask, when can you frag a coral. I mean, how long does it need to be in the tank and how mature is the coral? Basically when is the right time.

Thanks