Yellow fiji leather being ate?

[Chubosco]

I have had the leather for about two years and now twice the center peels off an outer layer the size of a quarter and looks flayed like a peeled potato. It healed itself the first time and hasn't had time to heal this time. I have been lax on blowing it off daily because it hates that and gets all contorted and turns green. So what's it's problem? Anyone know or had the same experience? It sits on a bottom rock since day one. I have taken it out and inspected it but don't see or feel a thing.

 

[MartinE]

Sometimes leathers sluff off a mucus layer to clean themselves and when they are growing.

 

[Chubosco]

I noticed today it is deeper into the flesh now. Maybe I should cut a hole around it and hope it fills in during the healing process. This is really weird. I flushed it with ro water yesterday. Maybe I shouldn't have. Is there a doctor in the house?

 

[saltank]

Can you post a pic? What you are describing sounds very similar to a picture in Vol 2 of Sprung's reefkeeping book where he describes how these particular leathers can be prone to bacterial infections leading to "open" sores.

Everything I ever read about the yellow leather in the case of these open "sores" is strong flow over the area and occassinally blowing off the necrotic tissue; and as a last resort cutting off the healthy areas to frag. I would definitely do more research on the matter b4 going to that extreme and I would check your water parameters.

Another option might be an iodine dip, but again do more research on that also.

HTH (I tried a yellow sarco once in my first tank without success)

 

[MartinE]

Yeah they can sometimes get necrotic spots on them that turn brown and jelly like. If it is that bad and you cut it out get a little of the good flesh around it as well to make sure it does not keep going. Also if you blow the dead stuff out do it out of the main tank because sarcophytons have some chemical compounds in them that are not good for a tank when they desolve.
I have one that shipped poorly and had a necrotic spot on it so I cut it out it healed up and now you would never no it was there.

 

[Chubosco]

Thanks, I was actually getting more worried about a lack of comments. Can't post pictures cause I haven't developed into that area yet. The leather sits under Mr. Powerhead so it does get crap that falls on it. I moved it and think you both are right on a bacterial infection. I'm going to move it again so flow is better over it. THANKS!!! Never really considered an infection. I just kept thinking something is eating it.