Toadstool still no polyps out
- Thread starter Sophie"s mom
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OP
OP
This one has been retracted for over a month. IF you go back in this post you will see what I have been posting about this. THe flow is okay, could be better, I will add an additional power head. The lighting is very good. I use Hipargero 100 watt led's. This toadstool was doing great for the first 3 months I had it, then it closed up to shed, and never re opened. IT still has great color, extends quite a bit during the day, and shrinks down a bit at night, but no polyps. So I took another posters suggestion to use a soft toothbrush and help it with the shedding, and that brings us to my post this morning.
have you tried adding 'soft coral' food to the water? If it senses food, it may entice it to open up - just an idea IDK. I feed this to my softie tank sometimes.
OP
OP
Hmm, never knew there was such a thing. I have always fed all my corals medium sized zooplankton. I am certainly willing to give this a try. I will get some. Thank you. Do you target feed, or just broadcast feed?have you tried adding 'soft coral' food to the water? If it senses food, it may entice it to open up - just an idea IDK. I feed this to my softie tank sometimes.
OP
OP
Where do you get that from?have you tried adding 'soft coral' food to the water? If it senses food, it may entice it to open up - just an idea IDK. I feed this to my softie tank sometimes.
I just broadcast feed.
From my local reef store here in Canada, but surely must be something similar where you are.
jimeah
New Member
If your toadstool leather coral isn't extending its polyps, there could be several reasons for this issue:
1. **Water Quality:** Poor water conditions such as high levels of nitrates, phosphates, or low oxygen can affect coral health. Ensure that water parameters like salinity, pH, and temperature are stable and within the ideal range.
Sounds like your in a normal range here, unless there are trace elements missing, and ICP might help identify more than you have already tested.
2. **Lighting:** Insufficient or excessive lighting can stress the coral. Verify that the light intensity and spectrum are appropriate for the coral’s needs.
Are the 100w lights on full blast? What schedule do you have?
3. **Flow:** Inadequate or excessive water flow can impact polyp extension. The coral needs moderate flow to help with nutrient uptake and waste removal.
is the flow directly directed at the shroom? Indirect flow is better IMO
4. **Chemical Exposure:** Exposure to harmful chemicals or residues from other products can cause stress. Ensure that any additives or treatments used are suitable for your reef tank.
Do you wear perfume on your wrists? And then put hands in tank? Even the natural oils from skin will build up over time, a water change will dilute any irritating chemicals, a large one or even 100 percent over a few days might help eliminate this as a cause.
5. **Acclimation:** If the coral was recently added to the tank, it might need time to acclimate. A sudden change in environment can cause it to retract its polyps. Have you moved it recently?
6. **Pests or Disease:** Check for signs of pests, such as nudibranchs, or diseases that might be affecting the coral.
7. **Tank Mates:** Aggressive or incompatible tank mates can stress the coral. Ensure that the coral is not being harassed by other inhabitants.
Addressing these factors can help identify and resolve the issue, promoting better health and polyp extension for your toadstool leather coral.
1. **Water Quality:** Poor water conditions such as high levels of nitrates, phosphates, or low oxygen can affect coral health. Ensure that water parameters like salinity, pH, and temperature are stable and within the ideal range.
Sounds like your in a normal range here, unless there are trace elements missing, and ICP might help identify more than you have already tested.
2. **Lighting:** Insufficient or excessive lighting can stress the coral. Verify that the light intensity and spectrum are appropriate for the coral’s needs.
Are the 100w lights on full blast? What schedule do you have?
3. **Flow:** Inadequate or excessive water flow can impact polyp extension. The coral needs moderate flow to help with nutrient uptake and waste removal.
is the flow directly directed at the shroom? Indirect flow is better IMO
4. **Chemical Exposure:** Exposure to harmful chemicals or residues from other products can cause stress. Ensure that any additives or treatments used are suitable for your reef tank.
Do you wear perfume on your wrists? And then put hands in tank? Even the natural oils from skin will build up over time, a water change will dilute any irritating chemicals, a large one or even 100 percent over a few days might help eliminate this as a cause.
5. **Acclimation:** If the coral was recently added to the tank, it might need time to acclimate. A sudden change in environment can cause it to retract its polyps. Have you moved it recently?
6. **Pests or Disease:** Check for signs of pests, such as nudibranchs, or diseases that might be affecting the coral.
7. **Tank Mates:** Aggressive or incompatible tank mates can stress the coral. Ensure that the coral is not being harassed by other inhabitants.
Addressing these factors can help identify and resolve the issue, promoting better health and polyp extension for your toadstool leather coral.
OP
OP
Okay, I am very cautious/conscientious about putting my hands in tank. When I do, I wash with nothing but hot water first. I also do not allow anything to be sprayed in the same room with the tank. All other corals are very happy, BTW. The lights are on at 95%, they start to ramp up at 6:45 A.M., and ramp down at 7:00 P.M. They toadstool is fairly close to the bottom of a 24" tank. FLow is moderate/low. I do a 20 to 25 % water change every other week. I am very on point with this. It has been in the tank for 4 months now, and pretty isolated from other corals. Closest is a group of zoa's. From what I am aware, no other tanks mates are bothering it. It stayed open very well for the first 3 months. I do know they can get a waxy coating that they periodically need to shed. So I pretty much thought this was the case with the toadstool. As I said, all other corals are great. Parameters as of yesterday are , I use Hanna tests accept for salinity, I use a calibrated hydrometer for that.
Temp - 78.
Salinity - 1.026
Alk - 8.3
calcium 429
NO3 - 25 ppm
PO4 - .03
PH - 8.4
jimeah
New Member
Without knowing the par of those lights, I would hazard that it’s far too much light.
My radion xr15’s that follow this schedule designed by Jack (RIP) of Reef Builders
It’s still 12 hours but you can see that it’s arch is supposed to replicate the sun rising and falling.
Currently it is on acclimation mode, because I have gone from having just one to two lights with the tank upgrade, but even at full intensity isn’t going to be higher than 65% and spends just 8 hours at 60-65percent. This gives me chance to monitor the reactions as the intensity starts rising.
When I first started putting corals in I bleached so many with too high light, and your toadstool might be staying retracted for the same reasons.
Try halving the light intensity, or bringing the light down 5% a week, monitoring the reaction of the whole tank.
I have seen mine shed its coating loads of times, normally takes a couple of hours at most.
My radion xr15’s that follow this schedule designed by Jack (RIP) of Reef Builders
It’s still 12 hours but you can see that it’s arch is supposed to replicate the sun rising and falling.
Currently it is on acclimation mode, because I have gone from having just one to two lights with the tank upgrade, but even at full intensity isn’t going to be higher than 65% and spends just 8 hours at 60-65percent. This gives me chance to monitor the reactions as the intensity starts rising.
When I first started putting corals in I bleached so many with too high light, and your toadstool might be staying retracted for the same reasons.
Try halving the light intensity, or bringing the light down 5% a week, monitoring the reaction of the whole tank.
I have seen mine shed its coating loads of times, normally takes a couple of hours at most.
schooncw
Well-Known Member
My toadstools have not opened since I added a biopellet reactor a year or so ago and it's the strangest thing. All else is good with my LPS dominant 120.
Yes, my nutrients are high - PO a constant 1.0 and NO3 30-65. Overfed and overstocked but at 64, I've been doing this all my life and used to be in the aquatic industry.
The rock in this overstocked and overfed system is 30+ years old and it baffles me, that the LPS, gonis, alvepora is doing fantastic when my lowly toadstools-and some other cheapo leathers-look like crap.
Yes, my nutrients are high - PO a constant 1.0 and NO3 30-65. Overfed and overstocked but at 64, I've been doing this all my life and used to be in the aquatic industry.
The rock in this overstocked and overfed system is 30+ years old and it baffles me, that the LPS, gonis, alvepora is doing fantastic when my lowly toadstools-and some other cheapo leathers-look like crap.
OP
OP
I have resigned myself to I am just going to leave it alone! I will add some flow in it's direction with an additional power head, but from what I have read, they can go for very long periods without extending their polyps. I hope it will open up again, but time will tell. You say yours look bad? Can you post a pic of them?
The new fish on the block
Well-Known Member
this is a good plan! My toadstool closed completely for almost 6 months ( might not be that long but it’s close and surely felt like it) and ever since increasing flow to where they body of the coral moved in the flow, it has started opening back up and its polyps are getting longer each week.
It is also worth noting that my nutrients are pretty high as well.
Pretty much what it looked like before just imagine absolutely no polyp extension at all.
Here it is today:
OP
OP
Wow! That second pic is beautiful! I usually KEEP my nutrients at between 20 - 25 ppm. My tank is much happier that way. Well, your story certainly gives me hope. I am convinced, so I will add a power head tonight. I already have 3 in there, but one is dedicated to surface agitation, and the other 2 have different circulation purposes, so a forth in the direction of my toadstool sounds good. My only concern is that it will also be in the direction of my RBBTA's, and I don't want to change their flow because they seem incredibly happy the way they are. We will see. If I start seeing them try to move, I will have to come up with a different plan, because I really do not want that. Thank you for your input on this.
The new fish on the block
Well-Known Member
Of course! Do you have a picture of your tank, I might be able to tell you where you can put the PH so that it doesn’t disturb your RBTA’s
OP
OP
Sure , don’t know how well you cal tell from this pic but the toadstool in mid tank and close to the bottom, BTA’s are at lower left corner
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OP
OP
Also, OBVIOUSLY, this is from when the toadstool was staying open.
OP
OP
Current power heads are upper left back corner. Right side mid glass at the top for agitation, and lower back corner on right. I would love some suggestion on power head placement. Thank you for your help with this.
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