Toadstool leather "Laying down?"

Discussion in 'Soft Corals' started by conjuay, Mar 15, 2008.

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  1. conjuay

    conjuay Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2007
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    I have a fairly large toadstool leather that has taken to laying across a section of tank instead of standing up.
    The 'stalk' of this leather is about nine inches long, and it has just decided to bend over towards the back of the tank. It looks like it decided to take a nap!

    I do add iodine regularly, and have become accustomed to this coral's nearly constant shedding, but I haven't heard of anyone mentioning a leather doing this!

    I tend to overfeed :-[ and have the nitrate levels to prove it...(Approx 10 ) but I don't see any stress indications from my other two smaller toadstools.
    Besides getting my Nitrates in line, are their other possibilities?
    Are there any recommended dips a coral this size? It would have to be done in a five gallon bucket, and that's allot of dipping solution...
    thanks,
    mike
     
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  3. omard

    omard Gnarly Old Codfish

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    Silverdale, Washington
    Give it some time and see if it recovers.


    I have had a toadstool do this...lie down never to get up again.

    Stalk too small to support top...stretching for light...:-/

    I just figured was time to slice up and start some new ones.

    So did.
     
  4. conjuay

    conjuay Feather Duster

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    If I was to even suggest that to my wife, she'd want to slice me up and start some 'new ones'!;D

    She actually bought that particular coral, and is very upset that it is doing this.
    I was thinking it might be trying to get the currents to slough off some dead skin from either the stem or the underside of the top, because it was leaning towards a power head. I moved the head closer to see if it returns to normal.
     
  5. conjuay

    conjuay Feather Duster

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    Follow-up

    In case anyone else experiences this, I managed to get the coral to "stand up" again by increasing the flow to it by moving a powerhead closer.
    I did a ten percent water change(that was due anyway) and put the head where it caused the coral to 'bob' slightly in the current. The movement stimulated the coral into returning to an upright position, and the powerhead continues to tickle it as it is shedding and looking much better.
    This coral sheds allot, it seems to do it weekly:confused:.
     
  6. baugherb

    baugherb Giant Squid

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    Mine also did that. But it would usually stand up after a while....