Devil's leather has not extended polyps over 1 week+

RioReefr · 01/21/2019, 11:37 AM

I have a pretty big Devil's Hand Leather coral -- probably the size of both my hands (or more).
It was vibrant and full of polyps extensions, UNTIL...

I decided to raise my salinity from 1.024 --> 1.026 (to get more growth from my trumpet corals). So, now my trumpet corals (and actually everything else) look great but the Leather looks really sad. So, sad that is now building up some detritus and brown algae on the branches. There is no glossy skin like it used to do when water parameters became abnormal.
Everyday, I have to take a Coral-Feed Squirter and gently squirt off any debris-buildup. I am hoping this is just a "stage", but I have never seen it go so long like this.

tomreefer · 01/21/2019, 11:49 AM

Picture? What kind of lighting you using? My leather does this sometimes when params out of whack. You said you raised it from 1.024 to 1.026 was this done gradually? How you check Salinity?

Cliving1 · 01/21/2019, 11:57 AM

It should bounce back. Dont move it. Keep it in the same spot.

RioReefr · 01/22/2019, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliving1

It should bounce back. Dont move it. Keep it in the same spot.

You are correct. It is now showing signs of life -- some skin is falling off and some polyps extending. I never seen it go that long in that state, but guess it did not like the quick change in salinity (1.024 -> 1.025 -> 1.026 in 2 days).

Uncle99 · 01/22/2019, 09:01 PM

Corals seem to do strange things.
Not all are the result of poor water or light, just watch.
Sometimes my leathers, (I have 9) are extended, then shrunk, then split, shed, on an on...
Now I don't even bother unless not open in two weeks.

They like there .03-.06 iodide constant, but this is easy in regular water changes.

jlmawp · 01/24/2019, 10:02 AM

I'm not a leather expert, but I have read many times that they go through shedding stages to remove nuisance algae, detritus, and other contaminants from it's "skin". That process usually takes 1-2 weeks from what I remember.

01/21/2019, 11:37 AM	#1
RioReefr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 394	Devil's leather has not extended polyps over 1 week+ I have a pretty big Devil's Hand Leather coral -- probably the size of both my hands (or more). It was vibrant and full of polyps extensions, UNTIL... I decided to raise my salinity from 1.024 --> 1.026 (to get more growth from my trumpet corals). So, now my trumpet corals (and actually everything else) look great but the Leather looks really sad. So, sad that is now building up some detritus and brown algae on the branches. There is no glossy skin like it used to do when water parameters became abnormal. Everyday, I have to take a Coral-Feed Squirter and gently squirt off any debris-buildup. I am hoping this is just a "stage", but I have never seen it go so long like this.

01/21/2019, 11:49 AM	#2
tomreefer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 767	Picture? What kind of lighting you using? My leather does this sometimes when params out of whack. You said you raised it from 1.024 to 1.026 was this done gradually? How you check Salinity?

01/21/2019, 11:57 AM	#3
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	It should bounce back. Dont move it. Keep it in the same spot.

01/22/2019, 09:01 PM	#5
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Corals seem to do strange things. Not all are the result of poor water or light, just watch. Sometimes my leathers, (I have 9) are extended, then shrunk, then split, shed, on an on... Now I don't even bother unless not open in two weeks. They like there .03-.06 iodide constant, but this is easy in regular water changes.

01/24/2019, 10:02 AM	#6
jlmawp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 595	I'm not a leather expert, but I have read many times that they go through shedding stages to remove nuisance algae, detritus, and other contaminants from it's "skin". That process usually takes 1-2 weeks from what I remember.