wht's this on my leather?

[hossfly]

I have a "fairy" toad stool that was approx 3inches tall when purchased18 months ago. it is now approx 10 inches long and lays over two rocks to support itself and has attached to both rock at it's main body. I noticed today that there are several clear "blister" bubbles on one side of it's stalk and not sure what is happening. the stalk is too tall and skinney to support it'self and as it lay on the rocks it just grew onto them. what happens if I want to do anything with it? will it get infection and die if torn loose from the rock? can I "cut it off" and start a new one? and most importantly, what are these bubbles blistered out from the stalk? they are about 1/4 to 3/8 inch in dia. they look sorta like the pollups of a bubble coral only blistered out from the main stalk. If I repeated myself some, I just want to make sure you have an idea of this. the bubbles are in close prox. to each other and on the "shady side of the stalk" if that makes any difference.

 

[Anonymous]

i don't have an answer for you, but i've had a rapidly growing healthy xenia colony that has the same symptoms. i have given many frags of this colony away and many times the bubbles disappear other times not.

from your description it seems that your coral may not be healthy though. can you give us a description of your set up (lights, water motion). I ask about these two aspects because it seems to me softies tend to lengthen when heated and there is a lack of current.IME of course.

 

[Anonymous]

also the alk. level is suspect

 

[Jasper]

I have to believe that your leather is either searching for more light or water flow or both. I have numerous different types of leathers in my tanks and i have seen what appear to be abrasions on the stalk. Are they stretch marks? Blisters? I'm really not sure but they may go away just by moving the coral.

Good luck!