questions about my first coral, fiji leather

[OARrocks]

its about an inch to two inches contracted so still little. i just got it friday and had some questions.

it has been opening up a little more each day and then contracting when the lights go off. but tonight it is especially contracted oddly after opening the most since i got it. is this normal leather behavior (to open during the photoperiod and then contract at night.)

i have a biocube with the stock 72 watts, is this sufficient light. i have it placed just below the middle of my tank to the right in a moderate flow area.

thanks for any replies i am just a little worried about losing my first coral especially after seeing it contract so much tonight

 

[Lotus99]

They will expand and contract when they feel like it. Don't worry too much as long as it's expanding during the day. Sometimes they'll contract for a few days while they shed a layer.

If it's a yellow Fiji, they like higher lighting, but acclimate it to the lighting slowly. Leave it for a week where it is before moving it up.

Make sure the coral is secure where it is. If it's rocking in the flow, it won't open fully.

 

[DetectiveTofu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10932642#post10932642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lotus99
Sometimes they'll contract for a few days while they shed a layer.

Because many leather corals are capable of shedding/sloffing off a layer of mucus, it is important, IMO, to ensure that the leather has proper flow in order to aid the coral during the process. Just don't have so much flow where you blast the coral off the rockwork.

only my .02

 

[Brian24]

I have a yellow fiji in my 29g and I had to put it under the light about 4 inches and it did great.

 

[OARrocks]

thanks for the replies. is it normal for leathers to open up when the lights are on and then fully shrink down when the lights go out. does anyone have experience with this?

in my biocube the highest point i can place it near the lights is against the back wall, which if you dont know is where the actinic bulbs are located. will this suffice or should i switch the bulbs around and put the daylights in the back

thanks again.

 

[RokleM]

Yes, it is common for leathers to shrink up some during the night. I would indeed put it under the daylight bulb instead of actinic, or swap the bulbs as you mentioned.

 

[PiXieCath]

I just have a little advice for you. Yellow fiji is a beautiful and hardy coral. But it was also one of the most highly toxic in the leather family. It emits toxins wich can lead you problems when you will add others corals in your tank. All you have to do is to run activated carbon on your tank. That was a great idea when you own leathers!;-)

 

[OARrocks]

well i got some pics for you guys

the first two of it opened up:

I know its been in my tank for less than a week, but will the polyps open up more with time, i have never seen a close up of this coral so i cant tell if thats all im gonna get...

this one is of my whole tank im thinking of moving it up to the really bright spot you see on that rock just to the right of the middle that shoots toward the surface. ive been told they like more light and he would be right under my daylight bulb if i did this. What do you guys think?

thanks

 

[RokleM]

Yes, they love light, comparable to SPS (if not more-so). This one is almost directly under a 250w MH.

 

[OARrocks]

man yours almost looks fuzzy!

btw put that mag float to use :lol:

 

[RokleM]

It is kind of. Average polyp extension on mine is about 3/8th-1/4". Mine just had little stubs like yours as it was getting settled.

And a mag float does NO good vs coraline Before I got an urchin, both the back, left wall, and overflow were 100% solid. It thinned it out about 80-90%.

 

[vader88]

My leather loves light .... happens to be my favorite coral in the tank. It had gotten alot larger since this pictures, still amazes me.

FYI.... he's under 90 watts of daylight and 54 watts of actinic

 

[OARrocks]

I like your tank man. Yours almost looks like a yellow plating monti. yeah i just moved mine up about 6" we will see how she does.

 

[shrimpin]

sorry a little off topic, but i just got one also and it about to shed for the second time is that normal??? first it shed when i got it then opened up for a day then got that wax look to it again...

 

[pezcubano]

Mine took about 5 days to really settle in and open up. The behavior of yours sounds like exactly what mine was doing. After 5 days of back and forth opening/closing, I moved it to the top of the tank, and WOW did it open up. It was a matter of hours before it was completely opened up.
If its beeen in there a few days, I would move it up in the tank.