New Yellow Fiji Leather Slumping

[Jers_Reef]

Hi all,

Ordered and received a pretty large yellow Fiji a few days ago. Stuck it down about 12” under surface. Since Tuesday noonish, it’s gone from pale and deflated when initially received, to puffed up and much more yellow with polyps extended yesterday, back to pale and laying down. Little worried this morning it may not be adjusting well.

I know leathers tilt and swell cyclically. But the color fade is a little alarming.
Seeing this, would anything suggest too much or too little light?

How can I help it stand back up?

Specs:
Aquatop 24
Reefi uno (AB, dialed back, 100W)
Alk 9
Phos 0.10ppm
Nitrate 3ppm
Ca 475
Mg 1200
SG 1.025
78F

Morning

Couple hours later

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The leather is very adaptable to high light, so I doubt the light is too high. Leathers will normally slouch for a few days up to a week, its normal, don't worry. Just make sure its in a spot with enough flow to help it shed, sometimes I take a turkey baster and gently blow on it to help it out, it usually perks up after that. Yours looks fine, just give it enough light and flow.

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

Hope it’s not infected with the decaying leather disease. Take a turkey baster and blow at the base to see if it’s disintegrating.

Hopefully tho it might just be too top heavy. You should move it so it’s as vertical as possible. Maybe use a rock to prop it up. Also give it as much white light and flow as possible if you want it to stay the vibrant yellow color. With blue LEDs it’s going to turn brownish green.

 

[mfinn]

Hope it’s not infected with the decaying leather disease. Take a turkey baster and blow at the base to see if it’s disintegrating.

Hopefully tho it might just be too top heavy. You should move it so it’s as vertical as possible. Maybe use a rock to prop it up. Also give it as much white light and flow as possible if you want it to stay the vibrant yellow color. With blue LEDs it’s going to turn brownish green.

I agree, I would re-position it so it's not pulling away from the base

 

[Jers_Reef]

Hey all. Thanks for the input.

Happy to say the Fiji is doing much better, extending more and getting more yellow every day! Really fun piece. Happy it’s settling in well.

Re: The suggestions
1) reposition? As you can see, I don’t have a ton of room to move it. I actually kind of like how it hangs out and curls upward. What’s the concern with the bending trunk?

2) light spectrum
I have taken your advice to dial up the white to bring out more of the yellow. I certainly don’t want it going brown/green! Raised white, red, and amber channels from 5% to 25%, acclimating 25% over 10 days so I don’t shock the rest. Hope I don’t get blasted with algae - I’m running GFO and chaeto so should stay in the rails.

Any advice on the acan next to it? That piece is not doing as well

 

[mfinn]

Hey all. Thanks for the input.

Happy to say the Fiji is doing much better, extending more and getting more yellow every day! Really fun piece. Happy it’s settling in well.
1) reposition? As you can see, I don’t have a ton of room to move it. I actually kind of like how it hangs out and curls upward. What’s the concern with the bending trunk?

One concern I can think of if there is too much kinking at one spot it possibly can break the skin and allow bacteria in and rot. Not always, but it's possible. Sometimes doing something to prevent a possible outcome is better that trying to deal with it after the fact.