Leather can't get it up!!

[stinky]

Got a green toadstool leather coral for about 4 months that's about 4 inches tall. Everytime I placed it upright, it will slowly bend its head downwards within 24 hrs. I'd leave it in place for few weeks, but it's head will still be facing the sand. Then, I'd turn it around to face up again, but after 24 hrs, it will face the sand again. Sigh.

Seems like the head is too heavy, or the foot is too soft.

Also, its polyps rarely open up ... only seen it open up few times these few months!!

I placed it under strong light and weak light. Same ... except that in stronger light, it looks greener. Lower light, looks brown.

I placed it under strong and weak flow. Same.

Inspected it ... no sores, cuts, melting, or any other problems. Water condition is OK ... It's kept in a 80% SPS tank, with 4 other leathers, with mushrooms, etc. Everything is GREAT, except this poor guy.

Any ideas??

 

[mfinn]

Leave it alone for a few days.
As long as there is no fungus or rotting areas, it should be fine.
They don't like to be moved alot.

 

[Russellaqua]

Toadstools will occasionally go through periods where they don't seem to do anything for months on end. Most likely you'll look in the tank one day and it'll seem completely normal. It's a part of their life cycle that no one really understands. Their mainly photosynthetic so it's it'll be receiving it's nourishment that way, so the polyps not extending isn't a cause for concern at this time.

 

[Burks]

I'm having the same issue. My green polyp toadstool hasn't opened for weeks now and is sort of shriveled. No tissue loss or changes to the tank. Guess it might be in a "dormant" stage or something right now.

 

[gflat65]

Yup, leathers are notoriously tempermental. They seem to 'rejuvenate' themselves at least once a year (and sometimes for a couple months at a time-shiny, unhappy looking). Just keep parameters in check and let it settle in. If it starts to disintegrate or develop lesions (or black slime, etc.), it's showing you signs of stress. Otherwise, it's likely being moody. How it normally works out for me is when someone is actually in the area and wants to see the tanks (a rare occurrence), the green polyped toadie is closed up. It glows, so it draws plenty of attention when its open, but no one ever gets to see it.

 

[stinky]

Thanks guys ... I'd just leave it alone.

 

[reef-nut]

I had a green polyped one do that when I first got it and I kept moving him and one day I decided heck with it and left him alone and a couplw weeks later he snaped out of it and now is bigger and awesome.

 

[gflat65]

What is your calcium and alk?

 

[stinky]

Ca @ 480 & KH @ 10. Mg @ 1480.

How does Ca or KH affect leathers??

 

[gflat65]

alk/kH is one of the most forgotten important parameters IMO.

If the calcium was really low, I was wondering if there might be insufficient amounts for strong spicule growth(?). I know they (spicules) are calcium based and know what happens to LPS and SPS when calcium is low for an extended period of time (they crumble...). Just trying to throw something else out there since its so hard to find a cause when water parameters are perfect.