Leather behavior?

Xolsiion · 10/10/2009, 11:42 AM

I recently picked up my first leather and I'm surprised at how variable he is. He's a baby finger leather and I've had him for a week now. A couple times a day he seems to close up for some reason and he can both tighten up to the point where you can't see his 'pores', or just tighten up a little bit where he's pulled his feathers into his pores. I've seen him elongate and get taller with his fingers stretching up and I've seen him do the opposite and get wider and almost like a hand that has its palm up. His color also seems to move between different variations of brown - fairly light and really dark.

It just seems to change more than any other coral I've kept - this normal behavior?

BCreefmaker · 10/10/2009, 11:49 AM

i always find the morphing of leather corals to be amazing. a mushroom leather in one tank can look like a kind of giant stump leather in another.

Xolsiion · 10/10/2009, 12:03 PM

Do they continue all the morphing behavior or will it eventually settle on a particular shape?

Xolsiion · 10/11/2009, 12:05 PM

Anybody have more to add about how their leather's behave?

Michael · 10/11/2009, 01:48 PM

ive got 4 in my tank, and yes they do behave this way, sometimes they shed skin as well, all corals regardless wether soft or hard deserve top water quality, and leathers do best in good water and medium flow and lighting, give him time and keep up the water changes and he will be fine

Xolsiion · 10/11/2009, 06:29 PM

Great, thanks for the confirmation!

lordofthereef · 10/11/2009, 09:28 PM

I have one that did this for a while, then he stayed "shrunk" for a while, after which he opened back up and is fine now. He was "shrunk" for about two weeks and I thought he was a goner.

10/10/2009, 11:42 AM	#1
Xolsiion Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 195	Leather behavior? I recently picked up my first leather and I'm surprised at how variable he is. He's a baby finger leather and I've had him for a week now. A couple times a day he seems to close up for some reason and he can both tighten up to the point where you can't see his 'pores', or just tighten up a little bit where he's pulled his feathers into his pores. I've seen him elongate and get taller with his fingers stretching up and I've seen him do the opposite and get wider and almost like a hand that has its palm up. His color also seems to move between different variations of brown - fairly light and really dark. It just seems to change more than any other coral I've kept - this normal behavior? __________________ A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it. --Rabindranath Tagore Current Tank Info: 28G Bowfront, 48W T5 10,000K/Actinic: Softies, Duncan, Frogspawn, False Percula \|30G, 24 3W LEDs Cool White/Royal Blue, Softies, Yellow-Tail Damsel

10/10/2009, 11:49 AM	#2
BCreefmaker Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 1,129	i always find the morphing of leather corals to be amazing. a mushroom leather in one tank can look like a kind of giant stump leather in another. __________________ To make apple pie from scratch, You must first create the universe.

10/10/2009, 12:03 PM	#3
Xolsiion Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 195	Do they continue all the morphing behavior or will it eventually settle on a particular shape? __________________ A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it. --Rabindranath Tagore Current Tank Info: 28G Bowfront, 48W T5 10,000K/Actinic: Softies, Duncan, Frogspawn, False Percula \|30G, 24 3W LEDs Cool White/Royal Blue, Softies, Yellow-Tail Damsel

10/11/2009, 12:05 PM	#4
Xolsiion Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 195	Anybody have more to add about how their leather's behave? __________________ A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it. --Rabindranath Tagore Current Tank Info: 28G Bowfront, 48W T5 10,000K/Actinic: Softies, Duncan, Frogspawn, False Percula \|30G, 24 3W LEDs Cool White/Royal Blue, Softies, Yellow-Tail Damsel

10/11/2009, 01:48 PM	#5
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	ive got 4 in my tank, and yes they do behave this way, sometimes they shed skin as well, all corals regardless wether soft or hard deserve top water quality, and leathers do best in good water and medium flow and lighting, give him time and keep up the water changes and he will be fine __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

10/11/2009, 06:29 PM	#6
Xolsiion Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 195	Great, thanks for the confirmation! __________________ A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it. --Rabindranath Tagore Current Tank Info: 28G Bowfront, 48W T5 10,000K/Actinic: Softies, Duncan, Frogspawn, False Percula \|30G, 24 3W LEDs Cool White/Royal Blue, Softies, Yellow-Tail Damsel

10/11/2009, 09:28 PM	#7
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	I have one that did this for a while, then he stayed "shrunk" for a while, after which he opened back up and is fine now. He was "shrunk" for about two weeks and I thought he was a goner. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!