Something wrong with my leather?

clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Was noticing some spots on it what look white. Then I saw a spot that is white and blackish. Then on the stock of it, there is what looks like a rip or tear...? Here are some pictures. Anyone know what's wrong with it? Why does it look like that? Is this normal for leathers? Is it dying?




 
speg

speg

Active Member
Hard to say what it's from. You should certainly keep an eye on it and make sure the leather doesn't start acting differently or that the spot doesn't grow. If it grows, you can just cut that area out and the leather will be fine. You'll want to do the cutting OUTSIDE of the tank.
I'd say that since it's still extending its polyps and still fanning out, it's not doing too bad!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
It looks to me like something irritated that spot....my leather will do that when something crawls over it, or rubs against it.....it should be fine in a few days
 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Thanks, I'll keep an eye on it. I have seen this happen once before, but it went away almost in the same day. This time I'm a little more worried because I see it in two spots. In these pictures, you can see the other spot of white toward the middle. Couldn't see it when it was extended. It's been like this for...this is the third day now I think.
I'm thinking about moving it to an area of more flow. Right now the flow on it is mostly low with occasional medium currents.



 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Thanks Flower, I think maybe if it's a nipper, it is either my cleaner shrimp or my emerald crab. I currently don't have any fish in the tank and it's been about a month since I took my clown out for ich problems. (Which means he will be going back in soon! yay!) I've never seen my emerald on the leather, but ya never know. I have seen my cleaner shrimp prance all over it as if it's just another rock...but I've never seen him pick at it. Then again, I do think he is somewhat of a bully...so I think I'll also keep my eye on him...
 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Well, no luck finding anything picking on the leather.
Even more bad news...at least I think...
I decided to move it to an area of higher flow, thinking that maybe it just wasn't happy where it was with low to medium flow. Well, all day yesterday, and all day today so far, it hasn't opened up at all!

What should I do? It doesn't look like the tears/nips are getting worse, they are just still the same as in the pictures above. But I'm worried now that it won't open.
So I'm wondering...if you move a leather to an area of more flow, will it normally take a while for it to adjust and decide to open up? Or should I be worried that something else is wrong?
 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Still hasn't opened. And today I see some sort of 'film' or something floating on it. It still looks like a normal closed leather...doesn't look any more damaged...but it has this floating filmy stuff hanging onto it.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Leathers shed occationally.
I'd leave it in the higher flow area for a while. If it's not getting better I would take a few cuttings so you have a chance of saving a piece.
 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Thanks Bang, and thank you too meowzer. After a few hours of the lights being on this morning, it is now open. It still isn't 'fully' extended...just the 'stems' are out...but the polyp part of it isn't extended out.

I'm just glad it is finally starting to open.
The 'film' is still there in some spots.
Bang, if it is shedding, could that be why it didn't open up? Could that be why it has those spots on it?
Thanks again guys
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I know you asked Bang...LOL....BUT...YES, sometimes when they shed they won't open....as a matter of fact I have the same type of leather doing the same thing right now......first time it happened I was also very worried haha......can't say for sure how often they will do this....seems to me every few months though (going by mine)
 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Thanks meowzer :)
I shouldn't have directed the question, thanks for side stepping that and answering it anyway!

I feel much better knowing that it could be the reason he was closed up.
 
clown-lover

clown-lover

Member
Thanks again guys. He was open all day yesterday and today he looks like nothing was ever wrong with him. Even those spots that looked nipped, are now covered in extended polyps.

Only thing is, since moving him to the higher flow, the polyps/stems seem to be extended...but they are shorter than what they were when he was in lower flow. He has a pretty direct water flow hitting him now...and I may end up moving him to somewhere where the flow isn't as direct...and he is not as, blasted, as he is now...
But thanks again. Problem solved pretty much
 
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