leather corals

[carol stringer]

Hi, we have had our marine tank since before xmas, and have two leather corals when we first got them they used to open out and extend their polyps.They also shed their skins but they haven't opened their polyps for at least a month - six weeks. We feed what the marine shops say but it still doesn;t help.
Has anyone had this before.
Carol

[Dave66]

Welcome to the forum, Carol.
There can be many reasons the corals are closed, but the obvious thing is a water quality issue. I trust you keep the tank topped off with distilled or similar water? What's the specific gravity and alkalinity of your tank? How often and how much do you do partial water changes? Is the room climate controlled or does the room temperature vary widely? Have you tested for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

What do you mix your saltwater with? Please tell me it isn't tap water. What size is the tank?

Dave

[labnjab]

I agree with Dave, it does seem like a water quality issue.

We currently have 3 different leathers and had a 4th but traded it because it was just too large for our tank. The only one that stayed closed for an extended period of time was the large one when we 1st added it to the tank. After a week and a half it was open and stayed open until we traded it.

What kind of lighting do you have? Even though leathers are softies, they do prefer higher lighting.

[carol stringer]

Hi our water tests for nitrate etc and ammonia are all ok.
We use RO water which is already salted from the Marine fish places. We have been doing a water change now every week used to do one every 3 weeks,.
The tank is 280 ltrs. and we do 5 - 10%.
They used to open out but have now stop doing it.

Carol