Whats up with my toadstool?

[llewella]

I bought a toadstool a little while back and when I first got it it was doing great, extending polyps etc.. Then it began to sulk (as toadstools do) so I wasn't concerned. It started shedding(no problem yet) but today I noticed that it has a fissure like hold in the cap as well as a couple dark patches, and it looks a little discolored. It is extending some of its polyps, but not all of them. I felt it and it is still firm to the touch. I did dip it before it went into the tank but I do not yet have a quarantine tank. I did not notice any critters on it when I dipped it. I have another toadstool and several other leathers in the tank that are all doing great. Please see pics. The first one is when I first got it and the second two are now.
Could it just be splitting? Or is this something that needs attention? If so what should I do?
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[hhughes]

Never seen anything like that -- I doubt it's normal .

 

[budsreef]

While that doesn't look good, toadstool leathers are really hard to kill. It looks like it may have had something touching the surface that irritated it. What is the flow like where you have it? They do better with good flow. You might try moving it up off the sand a little in a spot where it get good flow.

 

[acroholic]

Leathers will periodically stop polyp extension and shed their outer layer of skin. After a week or so the polys extend themselves. They will also self frag and fissures will appear and it will actually drop pieces of it self. It is happening on my toadstool right now as well.

Yours looks a bit different, though. The frags will usually be on the edges. yours looks like it is fissuring more in the middle.

 

[llewella]

Yea, It's not exactly in the middle, kinda off to the side some but not right on the edge. I hope that is all it is..

As far as flow it has moderate flow. Not real strong, but not a lagoon either. I was scared to move it because I didnt want to upset it more.. but if you guys think I should I will..

 

[cr500_af]

Doc's leather was doing exactly that... a freshwater dip killed a BUNCH of nudibrachs that were apparently eating it. They were exactly the same color as the tissue and were totally invisible in the tank.

 

[drnecropolis]

Yup.. Its still rather pissed after a freshwater dip, but will be worth it..

I have stared at that thing for hours and not seen anything moving.. I dipped it yesterday and it was like an explosion of nudis coming off it..

 

[llewella]

I give it a dip then and see if anything comes off. I dipped it before I put in in the tank and didn't see anything but I'll try again. I don't want it to die

 

[llewella]

Ok Just gave it a dip and didnt see anything in the container afterward. He is seriously pissed off now, but when I had him out I got a closer look and there are more little cracks in him. Looks like he may be splitting, not sure. If he is it is about 1/4 of him splitting off..

 

[justindville1987]

I would have to say that doesn't look good sorry

 

[llewella]

Well I'm still not 100% sure but it does look like it is splitting or budding off. From what I can tell it's splitting in 3 pieces. Yesterday and today all of the polyps are extended, but the small hole in it has turned into several cracks or fissures but no dead tissue. I'll post more pics later..

 

[smoothie]

Increase the flow and keep the sediment off of it. This will help with it's waxy layers to as well as removing any dead or scabbing spots

 

[jennm]

It looks like the work of leather eating nudibranchs to me. If you have other leathers (I see a cabbage in the background in that first picture), freshwater dip all of them.

Usually they are specific to one kind of leather - but I'd dip them all - they might be visiting another leather.

FW dip for a couple of minutes will get all the nudis off, then a saltwater dip with Seachem Reef Dip, Kent Tech D, Revive, Coral RX (ONE of those) should disinfect the wounds so they don't get infected.

Medicated dip = outside of the tank only. Never put coral disinfectant in your tank.

Jenn

 

[llewella]

Thanks for the advice Jenn and Smoothie. I gave dipped the other leathers and this one again, and still didn't find anything. I moved him up to a higher part of the tank with more flow. He's ticked off again, but looks like he's going to be ok.

 

[smoothie]

A higher point in the tank may aggrevate it with more light depending on whether you are using halides or not.

 

[llewella]

I only moved it a few inches higher just to get it off the sand and I have t5s. All polyps have been out for the last couple days. Still looks like it is splitting. Cracks are getting longer and rounding off like it going to make a round baby..lol Doesn't seem sick and is still firm to the touch.. All other leathers in the tank are doing great..

 

[smoothie]

Good luck then man. Sounds like you should be out of the woods in the next month.
Leathers are also really hardy and fast healers. You may even cut the spots away if the problem gets worse