Caring for a leather

[wildeone]

I got this leather at the LFS (details in my journal (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=673&page=4)). I know it is a leather, I was told its common name is Green Tipped Leather. My we research leads me to believe it is a Sarcophyton Ehrenbergii. At the LFS, he had 1/4" tenticles with green tips. In the photo, he is still coming out after a recent move.

He didn't seem to like full flow and kind of hunkerd over. Since finding hime a place with lower flow he has opened up a bunch, but the lights are off so he has now fully extended. I have him 12" down from the light. Any comments on feeding and care would be appreciated.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010057.jpg

[fat walrus]

i don't think you'll have be to concerned about it too much. it will fend for itself find as long as you are feeding the rest of tank. i have one with my dragon eels, have never feed the tank anything else but whole tiger prawns and that thing just won't stop growing.

[Reefbaby]

Although leather's may not particularly like high flow, they certainly need good flow. They need the flow in order to shed their mucous layer and to get detritus off of their surface. Also, the leather may react for awhile to the clown by closing its polyps up. Give it some time to adjust to the clown rolling around on it. But, keep your eye on it. If the clown doesn't ever let it open up its polyps, they you may have to go with something else. Typically it's not a problem though....

can't wait to see how it works out for you!

btw...my two clown pairs host a Euphyllia paradivisa and a green/brown zoo colony.

[wildeone]

Cool! I was wondering what the mucous what that I saw floating on it and near it. I will kep an eye on the flow and adjust it accordingly. Since it's introduction I backed the flowrate of my Seio's down quite a bit. I think the tank was just too tubid with the 3600+ GPH rate in the 65 gallon. I dropped it to about 1/2 that rate.

[Reefbaby]

600+ GPH rate in the 65 gallon Wooohhh! That's like a 55X turnover! Is this taking into account headloss and turns as well? Yes, I would have turned mine down as well!

[wildeone]

Yeah, sounded really cool in the beginnng, but once I did the calcs I found out I was way over. I backed the Seios way down now!

[wildeone]

How about Phytoplankton. From my brief reading on the subject I would assume that feeding my softs Phytoplankton is not such a bad idea. From what I read on www.dtplankton.com (http://www.dtplankton.com) it sounds like my tank would also benefit as a whole from some brand of Phytoplankton. Any comments on that?

[Rob]

phyto is almost always a good thing for a reef tank, as most filter feeders will benefit from it, corals, clams, feather dusters, and various pods.

if you are going reef, then look into phyto.. :)

[wildeone]

Great, I will get me some right away!

[wildeone]

When I came home tonight, the leather was hunkered over again and closed up (lights on) I expected the opposite. He had his tentacles out in places, but overall he was closed up. Once again I changed some of the flow patterns in the tank and let him be. I never touched him and he retracted all the tenticals, the slowly opened up a little bit then popped the tenticles back out. Here is what he looks like.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/91c16ec4.jpg

I would expect him to open up fuller, does this just take time? The photo from earlier is what I expected, but with his tentacles fully extended.

It amazes me how sensative corals are to flow, if that indeed is what made him hunker over.

BTW the button polyps are going to be moved, I just need to find them a spot tonight.

[fat walrus]

sometimes it takes a leather a week or more to fully open.

[Reefbaby]

wildeone - it looks like the leather might be having a hard time shedding the mucous layer. From the picture, the middle of the coral looks like it's got a layer sitting on it. I would try to give it a bit more flow and maybe also turkey baste it lightly every day for awhile until it's done shedding....

[fat walrus]

wildone, Reefbaby is right about mucus. but from my experience, you've got nothing to worry about. if a new leather is not falling apart or melting, it will be fine in short time.

[Reefbaby]

wildeone....how's the leather looking today?

[wildeone]

He finally opened up and seems to be really happy. I have adjusted the flow way down, I am guessing 2000 gph or less.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/dabf000e.jpg

[Reefbaby]

Ohhhh yeahhhh! (said to the voice of Yellow)....he's lookin' much happier now! Woo hoo! congrats Wildeone! http://www.world-of-smilies.com/html/images/smilies/party/dance.gif

[CarmieJo]

Looking good!

[fat walrus]

good work wildone.

[reefenthusiast]

my leather seems to love the cyclopeeze

[wildeone]

I am 99% sure this is a Sarcophyton sp., but does anyone have a source to see if it is actually a Sarcophyton Ehrenbergii?

Any internet related sources?

I would really like to get more into identifing my species.

[gwen_o_lyn]

I am 99% sure this is a Sarcophyton sp., but does anyone have a source to see if it is actually a Sarcophyton Ehrenbergii?

Any internet related sources?

I would really like to get more into identifing my species.


:bump:


:agree: it's a sarcophyton, but I wouldn't know anything beyond that.