I need helo moving a leather please

[chris_crawford]

I have a larger mushroom leather that starting to get sucked into my skimmer intake when he is fully extended.

I would like to move him to a lower area of the tank, but I'm not sure about the best way to detach him and reatach him.

Any suggestions?

Thanks -chris

 

[Clearblue303]

Once I had to slice one(it had worms inside)and one half lost it's base.I've passed a fishing line and slightly tied to a rock.Within a week was very strongly attached.
I don't think you have other option than cutting,but it will be OK.
U can use the opportunity to separate it if you want.
Good luck!FM.

 

[jdeets]

I just moved a toadstool leather this weekend that was getting too big and was pressed up against the front glass when it was fully extended. It had attached itself to a large piece of base rock so the only way I could reposition it was to cut it.

I took a sharp knife and cut it off the rock. I removed it from the tank, then cut the "stem" off square. Then I attached it to a smaller piece of LR using the "toothpick method." I basically put two toothpicks through the base and then used rubber bands to hold it on the new rock. I've done this with a Sinularia sp. and it attached to the rock completely after a couple of weeks. I've never done this with a toadstool leather, but I don't see any reason why it won't work since they're both leather corals.

BTW, you probably know that toadstool leathers are picky and when they get hacked off, they will "wilt." My toadstool is wilted now, but it should be doing much better after a few days. It also is in a different part of the tank, so it's not only pissed off about being cut, it's also got to reacclimate to the new position in the tank.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[chris_crawford]

Thanks for the information. I used the "Tooth Pick" method that you described. My leather looks to be doing OK, although he did not like being stuck.

Am I going to have a problem when I remove the tooth-picks? I used wood ones.

If worse comes to worse, the foot of the leather what was left on the origional rock will grow a new head.

Thanks -chris

 

[jdeets]

You shouldn't have any trouble removing the toothpicks. After the coral is firmly attached, remove the rubber bands and you should be able to get the toothpick to release by twisting it. The coral WILL attach to the toothpick too, but the twisting should allow it to be pulled out. The removal of the toothpicks is not nearly as traumatic to the coral as the cutting and initial toothpick impaling, IME.

 

[chris_crawford]

I took the tooth picks out of the leather yesterday when I was doing a water change. The leather seemed to be attached well. After removing the toothpicks, the coral drew up a little, but after about 4 hours it was comming back out. It looked great this morning.

Thanks for all of the help.

-chris

 

[jdeets]

Glad it's doing well. Mine is still hacked off at me. I've had to reinsert the toothpicks twice, because it's not wanting to attach and the toothpicks have been pulling through the bottom. It does seem to be attaching this last time. Hopefully I'll be able to remove the toothpicks in another week or so.