Leather Coral issue

austenreefer

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My leather coral has algae on it and hasn't extended it's polyps in a few weeks. Any advice?

Parameters:

Nitrates: 20
Alk: 9
Calcium: 470
Salinity: 1.025
Lights: 2 ai primes
Tank size: 50 gallons
Tank age: 2 years

IMG_0412.jpg
 

jeffchapok

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Is this coral dead? I had someone from facebook tell me so. I thought these things were super hard to kill and I have only had it a few weeks.
It doesn't look good, but in my experience when leathers die, they completely deteriorate. So it may have a chance yet. I would guess that it is shedding, but that only takes a few days. It should not be like that for weeks.

What kind of flow do you have it under? Mine likes a lot of flow and that tends to help keep it clean as well.
 
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austenreefer

austenreefer

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It doesn't look good, but in my experience when leathers die, they completely deteriorate. So it may have a chance yet. I would guess that it is shedding, but that only takes a few days. It should not be like that for weeks.

What kind of flow do you have it under? Mine likes a lot of flow and that tends to help keep it clean as well.
Yeah basically it already shed like maybe 2 weeks ago and the algae built back up. I think it may be dead. It was an AskBRStv admin who told me it was dead so I tend to believe it. I have also read you can smell when it dies so I guess I could try that to.
 

Durhamreefer

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Leathers need flow, lots of it! Without proper flow it'll have difficulty shedding. My experience also tells me that leathers can tolerate some pretty gnarly conditions from a water quality standpoint. Are you confident that the test kit you're using is accurate? Low mag and low salinity always seemed to tick off any of my leathers. Proper testing equipment and a consistent testing regimen have eliminated most of my reefing headaches.

" Is it dead?" - Looks very much alive to me, just pretty PO'ed about something.

*Looking closer I see a black spot. Is this spot new? Is it a hole?
 
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Grsfish

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It’s not dead. Try to increase the flow. Use a turkey blaster and blow it off more. If that doesn’t work make get a soft tooth brush and gently clean it off. And then just leave it alone. I have had leathers mad and close up for a few weeks and then they are fine…
 

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