Angry Toadstool Leather

[CRath]

Hello, I have had this green toadstool leather for about 3 months in my 15 gallon tank. Until the past 2 weeks the leather has never opened the tips of its polyps and the green has begun to fade from them. It often turned black and shrunk into a ball. In the past 2 weeks the leather has gotten to the point in the attached picture. It looks better than I’ve ever seen it, but still no show on the tips of the polyps. My guess is that my nitrates and phosphates may be to blame, yet the Duncan behind it seems to be plump and extremely happy and the little bit of cyano left on my rocks is dying back. This makes me believe that my nítrate and phosphate levels may not be the primary culprit. I think the leather is getting enough flow and light. Lighting is a 12-18”Coralife mini LED and power head is a SICCE voyager nano rated to 2000 L/hr. The leather is in the “flowiest” part of the tank. I dose Kent marine supperbuffer-dkh with my ATO and have begun with 1tsp in my 5 gallon reservoir. pH has since stabilize around 8.1 from 7.9. I am new to the hobby and am all over the place in this post, but any ideas would be wonderfull.

 

[Ron Reefman]

BUMP!

You're right, I agree that leather does not look happy compared to the leathers I'm familiar with.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Not super happy, but polyps are out, so it is settling in. Leathers can be very finicky. They will react to changes in water chemistry quickly. They will react to any activity in the aquarium by you or your doing. It is not receding or dying.

My guess is it was shedding and adjusting to new aquarium. It can take a long time to fully be happy and extend poylps. Give it more time. If the polyps are out like they are in the picture, it is fine.

Looks like a newer tank, so the swings and maturity will help. It should handle these well.