Problem with a Finger Leather

[ttuuk]

I have a finger leather coral that has been doing well in my tank for the last 2 months, but is now falling over and not standing up on it own. I have not added anything to the tank for a few weeks. All parameters are all fine.
SG 1.067
NH3 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Calc 420
Alk 10

Not sure what is going on???

Thanks for your help,

Jay

 

[demonsp]

What type of food is added to the tank and how often?
Whats used for water movement?

 

[sjames]

is it safe to assume the SG you listed is a typo?

 

[demonsp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12411489#post12411489 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjames
is it safe to assume the SG you listed is a typo?

I hope so ,good catch.

 

[ttuuk]

Yes it is a typo, 1.026, I have 2 korilla 3's for flow and a mag 9.5 for a return

 

[ttuuk]

Food I feed is, Formula 2 flakes, DT's, Cyclopese, and Mysis. I feed once in the morning and once at night. But not all items at the same feeding, I alternate them.

 

[stuccodude]

mine prefers a good flow, i rock could have been moved by a snail or hermit to obstruct the flow, good luck.

 

[demonsp]

Brine is good and cyclops even better. Your flow is low.Dont use the return pump as amount of flow you have.The return flow is for the fuges health and the amount you want doesnt help main tank. You need good flow so food source can pass by coral a few times. DT and phyto plankton may help feed coral some but not enough.Most coral perfer small meaty bits of food.

 

[ttuuk]

Ok, good to know, I have it in a good flow pattern and was really happy, I guess I need to blend some food for it.

Thanks for all the help

Jay

 

[demonsp]

A 90 gallon with only 2 K3's is going to cause many headaches.I would get 2 more.

 

[ttuuk]

Even for a LPS and soffty tank?

 

[demonsp]

Especially SPS.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/1/aafeature/view

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/pumpssetup/a/aa082799_3.htm

 

[ttuuk]

Thanks for the links

Jay

 

[Shekki]

Leathers do this periodically. Mine look awesome for months at a time, then slump over for a week or two, then come back stronger.

 

[demonsp]

I think this one needs food.

 

[ACBlinky]

Leathers sometimes collapse (bend over at the base and lie down, looking like a felled tree) as a result of inadequate flow. Try increasing flow around the coral, but keep it random -- leathers don't like being blasted from one direction. I've seen leathers perk up and extend polyps within hours and recover fully within a week after flow patterns changed.

Some leathers will also close up and deflate periodically as part of their normal shedding behaviour, but they don't generally look the same as one that has collapsed. They shrink all over without bending sharply at the base, and tend to shed 'skin' for a few days before reinflating (at which time they look fantastic again).

demonsp could be right, it may want more food -- different leathers eat different things, but AFAIK they can only consume the smallest particles. They won't eat things like brine, mysis, or even cyclopeeze; their polyps are just too tiny. What I like to do for my corals about once a week is stir up the sump (after lights-out) and let all the detritus float around the tank. My mushrooms respond beautifully to this, especially the rics -- they all ball up and then look puffy the next day, so I assume there's something good to eat in the sump detritus. I can never tell if the leathers are eating or not, but they certainly don't seem to object and they all grow like crazy, so it can't hurt to try this. Besides, it keeps the sump clean and what the corals don't consume is caught by the skimmer and/or filter sock