Leather Coral Question

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dragonzim

Active Member
Yesterday afternoon I picked up a really nice Devils Hand leather from my LFS. I acclimated it for about an hour and put it in my tank. It looked absolutely fantastic when all my lights were on. I went out last night and when I came home only my actinics were on and I noticed that it looked like it had kind of deflated. Where it used to stand up straight it was now kind of limp and flopped over. Now, this morning, I just looked at it and it is even more deflated. My question is, is this normal? Will it perk back up when the lights come on?
My setup is a 75 gallon tank with 6x54 T5s.
 
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dragonzim

Active Member
OK, it turns out that it had just fallen over. I stood it back up and was fine for a while. Then, this morning when I looked at it, it still seems to be a bit deflated. How long does it normally take for a leather to fully acclimate to a new tank?
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
leathers can take a good 3 weeks sometimes to be fully acclimated to new surroundings and chemistry. also they will all deflate and 'shed' a layer of skin every night to varying degrees (depending on species). that is normal. make sure their is adequate flow on it to help remove the shedding.
 
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dragonzim

Active Member
Thanks Saltnoob! I've had the leather in there since Saturday morning and it shed its outer skin that night as well as yesterday.
 
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dragonzim

Active Member
Excellent, thanks!!
One other question, will leathers like this generally find their own comfort zone? Obviously they rely on us to place them properly in our tanks, but once that good place is found will they readjust themselves as far as turning either into or away from flow, lights, etc?
 
albfishin'

albfishin'

Member
They will let you know. Keep an eye on it. If it looks like its beginning to change color (mine turned real pale), you may have to move it (flow/light). I did with mine and after the move it got really, really big. However, I noticed within the last week it started to slump over and pale again. I didn't move it, but am staying with it because it had done so well prior. It stayed like that for a week or so and it's beginning to come back now. Last night it was standing upright again with all polyps extended.
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
they will often change the angles they face (at first), and attach to other rocks for optimum conditions
 
teamsleep

teamsleep

Member
Im interested in some pics also. I just got a toadstool, colt, yellow fiji and a kenyan tree today. I dont have a camera to take a picture but I would still love to see yours.
 
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