Leather is Stuggling

[TulaneDane]

I purchased a leather coral about a week and a half ago. Yesterday I noticed one of the heads was no longer extending its polyps, and today I noticed the other was having some coloration changes along with what appear to be mucas sluffing off. Leather is on a shelf about 12" below the water line. Tank specs below:

175 gallon
SG: 1.024
Ph: 8.25
Temp: 78.3
ORP: 333
NH4: 0
NO3: 0
PO4: 0
Running biopellets & carbon/GFO dual reactor
Lights are 3 G3 Radions set at 55% and about 12" above the water line
Not dosing anything

Been fighting a bit of Cyano recently...know that can't be helping. Below are pictures:

Anyone have ideas about what might be wrong with this little guy? :hmm4:

 

[Steveg229]

Certain leathers will do this once in awhile. They will retract polyps for a couple of days and shed the outer mucous layer, which to my knowledge, indicates growth. One of my leathers would do this almost monthly and my other larger leather never does it. The leather that did this looks identical to yours. Should be nothing to worry about.

 

[cloak]

+1

These corals really enjoy a lot of chaotic flow btw.

 

[TulaneDane]

Interesting. Thanks for the feedback. I'll keep an eye on him and see if he shows signs of recovering. I do the closest powerhead (see to the right of the last picture) on a 20 mins on 20 mins off cycle. I'll see if I can't drum up some more movement. :idea:

 

[urbanrat84]

It is shedding as the others have said.

It may be responding to the new water conditions and needing to get rid of old skin. But if it doesn't 'bloom' beautifully after this you may need to try a higher flow location

 

[GKorals]

yeah definitely high flow...mine used to do that for weeks at a time and now barely ever closes even at night