Yellow Leather Coral Problems

[Packersfan21]

Well, I got my yellow leather coral from liveaquaria yesterday and it looked good when I got it. I floated it in the tank for and drip acclimated it for about two hours and made sure that it wasn't exposed to air. However, when I got home from school today some the stocks have turned black and everytjing is closed up. It also looks kind of torn and some small pieces are falling off. I moved it higher up on the liverock so it has more light and flow but i'm not sure if this will help or not.

Also note that my only fish right now are a purple tang, false percula clown, true percula clown and a royal gramma so I doubt that it's any of them. Hopefully someone can help me with this and I can bring the coral back.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I haven't kept leathers in years, so can't help a whole lot, but some water parameters ( actual numbers ) would help.

 

[stingythingy45]

Leathers are really touchy.
I would just put it in a place that is about half way and just enough flow to move it slightly.The branches turning black is not a good sign though.

 

[Packersfan21]

water parameters:

amonia: 0
nitrite:0
nitrate: 20ppm
ph: 8.1
specific gravity: 1.020 ( I know a little low but i'll be doing a watercahnge tommorow.)

Forgot to mention before that all of my other corals are perfectly normal.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Your salinity is more then a little low. Should be around 1.025/6. But, bring that up slowly.

 

[seapug]

Those yellow leathers are notoriously difficult and often succumb to the infection you described. They need very strong light and water flow. If the melting continues pull them out, cut the caps off and trash the base. If that doesn't seem to help just get rid of them entirely so they don't pollute the whole tank. Liveaquaria.com is very good about giving credits within a certain time limit, so don't wait too long to contact them.

 

[stingythingy45]

The parameters look fine except for the SG as you mentioned.
My money would be on the rough ride it took during shiping.
Even though it look fine when you recieved it,it could have been through a lot.Just watch it closely and if it starts to rot you're going to want to frag the good branches if possible.You'll be able to tell it's going from the smell.BTW,you really didn't need to drip acclimate the leather for so long.But no worries,that has nothing to do with what's going on here.

 

[Packersfan21]

Ok thanks for the input everyone. I'll see if it looks any better tommorow w/ the waterchange. If it doesn't get any better i'll try to frag it but i've never tried to frag a coral before so hopefully that goes ok.

 

[demonsp]

Whats the phosphate and the PH and the Dkh? Turning main lights out for the first day or two helps.
Whats your lighting?
Tanks age?
Whats used for water flow?

 

[maynardjames]

contact live aquaria. they can also offer suggestions & have you down for a possible credit.
i have had them even extend guarantee for two more weeks on item. great customer service

 

[Packersfan21]

ph: 8.1

I don't have a phosphate tester yet and wats Dkh?

For lighting I have 2 150-watt 14,000k phoenix bulbs.

tank has been up for a little over a year now.

I have 2xkoralia 3s, 2xkoralia 1s, and 2xflare nozzles.

 

[Packersfan21]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12398675#post12398675 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by maynardjames
contact live aquaria. they can also offer suggestions & have you down for a possible credit.
i have had them even extend guarantee for two more weeks on item. great customer service [/QUO

I already contacted liveaquaria about the cleaner shrimp that also cam w/ the order that was dead on arrival. I'm not going to ask for a credit on the coral yet until I'm certain that there is no way that it could recover.

 

[demonsp]

Flow sounds low.I think the new high lights after being in the dark for 2 days didnt help. With any new addition from fish to coral its best to leave the main lights out for a day or two.
A tank pic would help.
Oh and 2 hours floating under light to much. I float 20 min then open bag and add small amounts of tank water 3 or 4 time every 10 min. then add to tank.

 

[Mappelbaum37]

When you order from liveaquaria they tell you directions in how to acclimate the coral. They tell you that when you take the coral out of the box, to leave room and tank lights off, so the coral does not recieve severe light trauma from being in a dark box for so long then to a bright tank. You have to adjust it slowly. That would be my guess. I have a yellow leather and it is doing amazing. Keep it somewhere with moderate flow, and mid-tank to higher in the tank for lighting. just an idea, turn the lights off for a day then on the next, to help increase polyp extension.

Good luck. Liveaquaria gave me a credit on mushrooms that died on me and 4 months later (now) they're doing pretty nicely.

 

[Packersfan21]

Ok well I threw out the bad parts and fragged the good parts on it. When i acclimated the coral the lights were off and the mushrooms that also came w/ the order are thriving.

Demonsp- We have a guy that comes in to help w/ the tank every month and he thinks that flow should be ok although i'm thinking of maybe getting one more powerehead. Also, I didn't float the bag for 2 hours under the light, i just floated w/ lights off for 15 minutes ans then drip acclimated for 2 hours.

 

[luke33]

SOunds like the parameters are ok besides the SG, which is low enough to put the coral into stressful times. It would have most likely killed the cleaner if you would have put it in that low of sg as well. IMO your borderline with all your corals in that sg. I'd also check your alkalinity as that could be a culprit.

 

[Mappelbaum37]

I just switched from oceanic sea salt to red sea salt mix which includes calcium in the salt crystals as well as a pH buff *I think*. My yellow leather and all other corals have opened like never before.

 

[Packersfan21]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12402485#post12402485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luke33
SOunds like the parameters are ok besides the SG, which is low enough to put the coral into stressful times. It would have most likely killed the cleaner if you would have put it in that low of sg as well. IMO your borderline with all your corals in that sg. I'd also check your alkalinity as that could be a culprit.

I don't think the SG was the problem because all the other corals are thriving. I did a waterchange today so the SG went up a litlle bit. Also, the cleaner shrimp was dead even before I began acclimatizing.

maple baum- I use reef crystals right now but, I've never heard of red seasalt mix. I have heard of problems w/ reef crystals recently though.