Shoudl I be feeding my yellow fiji leather? If so, what?

[MarineGirl411]

Hi Everyone,
I purchased a Yellow Fiji leather 2 weeks ago. He's in good flow and good lighting. Not directly under my MH though. I posted on here before that this guy looks really upset. He opens his polyps sometimes, but keeps them closed most of the time. Everything in my tank is stable and at the correct levels. I am wondering if they are sensitive to higher calcium levels? I am wondering if I need to be feeding him and that's why he looks upset??? He gets remnants of cyclopeeze, but I think they are too large for his polyps. People have suggested DT's Oyster Eggs or DT's plankton. If I need to feed, what would you recommend? Please let me know. Thank you so much.

Gina

 

[sir_dudeguy]

I never feed mine anything. Or any of my other leathers for that matter. I usually feed mysis and plankton which is just too big for their polyps, if they even take stuff that is. But mine has been doin great since january, so at this point i'm convinced that it doesnt need anything. They do like higher light and pretty high flow as well.

 

[MarineGirl411]

Wow,
I'm a horrible speller. Jeez. I meant to say what should I feed it? Well, my little yellow fiji doesn't look very happy. He was in higher light and very good flow. I just moved him today to see if it might help. He was in the sandbed at the LFS so I put him back closer in the sandbed. Not sure if he didn't like the area he was in or what. I also didn't know if I should be dosing phyto. I feed mysis, brine shrimp, and cyclopeeze. Even some squid and krill shredded. I can't get this guy to expand his polyps. He does it, but only for a while. He honestly just looks mad. Everything in my tank tests right on the money. Just wondering if maybe they might not like higher calcium levels. Let me know. Thank you sir dude

 

[MarineGirl411]

anyone else? I'd appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

so in the 2 weeks that you've had him...has he opened up much at all? I've had leathers go almost a month before really opening when i first added them. IMO it was due to poor acclimation.

 

[MarineGirl411]

Hi,
Well, I put him in the substrate and now he's doing much better. He's on a small rock, but I guess he likes it down further in my tank. Very strange because I see them on rockwork a lot. He still slumps over a little though. I'll post a picture later. It's strange. He opened sometimes when I had him on the rockwork in a higher flow area. He wouldn't stay open long and wouldn't open all the way. Now he's fully open, but a little lopsided. =/

 

[MarineGirl411]

Okay later tonight my leather was doing great. I guess he likes the substrate the best. That's where he was in the display at the LRS. Local Reef Store. =) He seems much better. I guess that's his new place. Bummer because he would have looked so beautiful in the spot I had him before if he would have opened up. Oh well. He looks happier now. So that's good. Let me know what the rest of you guys think.

 

[lmuller1]

I feed my leather cyclopeez once a week or so. It goes through phases. Sometimes it is all curled up(that may last for a few days), then it will open and get colorful and extend all its polyps. Took me a while to get used to it being closed up. I would suggest moderate flow and light, a little food, and leave it alone.

 

[MarineGirl411]

Does anyone know why they do that? Shrivel up then extend and look great? Mine likes it much better in the substrate on his rock, then up higher. He still shrivels up though and leans to one side once and a while. I'd like to know why. It's weird. Much happier with less flow and less light. Mine is at least. =)

 

[sir_dudeguy]

flow has a big part to play with my leathers. If its the slightest different it seems to take a while to adjust to it. Maybe thats why? Leathers can be pretty picky. Very hardy, yes, but they can be picky about their water. So maybe that has something to do w/it?

 

[MarineGirl411]

Hi,
I am not sure what it is. It must not have liked all the flow it was getting where I put him. Now he's in the substrate on a rock and likes it much more. I'd like to know though why they tend to sag? Or why they expand then contract? It seems like a lot of them do this. Kevin, who I bought it from, just got a shipment in of Fiji's. He said this one looked bad, then all of a sudden perked up. He said they do it a lot. I find it strange.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

like i said...too many variables to find out EXACTLY what causes it probably. I also forgot to meantion that when i just touch mine (could be w/my finger or even tweezers or whatever) it usually closes up for a few days and looks really bad. And that means whenever i move it, it gets touched, and it closes up. Mine is just now opened all the way after about 2 weeks from when i moved him.

 

[MarineGirl411]

weird. =) Ty. Do you have any pictures of your tank? I'd like to see it. I see you have a 40 breeder too. I will take some of mine if you want. =)