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LakeCityReefs
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Topic: Leather Care Posted: January 07 2014 at 2:44pm |
I originally posted this in the wrong forum but had it identified as a leather non the less. Now i know a leather is a softie (I'm learning already). I am wondering how to care for this? Why it split on me? What is the value so that maybe I can trade it to someone else?
It would be nice to someday know what the heck I am talking about, especially if i want to try and barter corals and fish. Above is the piece that split off.
Here is the piece that is still attached to a small rock
So far this site has been a great find. Thanks for all the help!
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bstuver
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 2:47pm |
Did it literally just fall apart or get pulled? I ask because if it just fell off it may be rotting at the base as some leathers do and that part will need to be cut off. As for care they are one of the easiest just put it where you want it keep your parameters in check and watch it grow
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Jackie Stuver
"wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart
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LakeCityReefs
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 3:27pm |
It was tore. I had a gal come over and look at my setup before she sold me some GSP. The leather was halfway attached to two different rocks. Now that you say something, the base does look a little brown. Should I trim it up 1" to where it looks more healthy? What is the value of a leather like this?
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bstuver
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 3:44pm |
I might trim it if I were you just to prevent any decay. Leathers don't get a lot of money normally unless they are rare and this is not.
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Jackie Stuver
"wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart
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Will Spencer
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 3:47pm |
If it tore on it's own it is just fine. Don't worry about it unless you notice that it is actually rotting away. Pieces will start falling off and creating little piles of rotting flesh. Your pics don't look like that is happening. These corals will often naturally frag themselves just like this one has. As for value, that is always in the eye of the beholder. If someone wants it really bad and can't find a piece it could be worth a lot to them. Someone who has it coming out their ears will see things totally differently. That said, I know that is not the answer you were looking for. Depending on size and color, (I can't tell if it is Green or Pink in the photos,) it would probably run between $35 and $75 in a store. On the trade market around here it is not a really desirable coral and that makes it worth less, (most people are looking to trade for high end SPS, LPS and Zoa's,) but to the right person a trade could be very beneficial to you both. Green is typically more desirable and therefore more valuable in a trade. Expect to get another soft coral in trade or less valuable and smaller stony corals. Don't get me wrong when I say it isn't very valuable. I'm sure it looks great in your tank and there is no reason to look down on these corals, (although some feel there is. "Coral Snobs", they know who they are. ) These just tend to be fast growing corals that are easy to keep. I have had many VERY large leathers in my tank in the past and still have some pretty good sized ones now, but they are not the most colorful corals and many people do not want them. Once people start keeping the more expensive and slower growing corals like SPS and LPS most people remove these from their tank for several reasons. 1) they grow fast and take up a lot of space thus keeping them from having more of the fancier corals. 2) They can put off toxins as they compete for space that either kill or stunt the growth of the hard (SPS, LPS) corals. 3) They just aren't as colorful. All that said, some of my favorite corals are leather corals.
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DMower
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 4:38pm |
This looks exactly like the piece I have in my tank. I got it for free from another member that was trimming his back. If it is the same, It is more green when closed up and when expanded it is more tan. Brown polyps.
I would not trim the base. Leave it alone.
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150 gal reef with 50 gal sump. Reef Octopus DCS-200 Skimmer. AI Sol Blues.
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bstuver
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 5:05pm |
Only reason I said to trim it is he said it was turning brown. Either way you're fine, they are tough corals so it will be fine left too.
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Jackie Stuver
"wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart
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LakeCityReefs
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 5:13pm |
Well it's trimmed because when I took a look at it the base was actually flaking away a bit. Thanks for the info on its value. I am just happy to know and learn. I like it for now because my tank is pretty empty. The piece in the rock looks cool moving back and forth in the current. I guess ultimately I was hoping somebody would want to take the other piece sink could get something new in my setup (maybe another leather type). Thanks again for the education.
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ReefdUp
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 7:58pm |
You may be able to get a little bit of trade value for it at a LFS...
Or...better yet...let it grow for a while and then donate a piece to our next Fragfest. That will get you early entry...so you could pick out some new pieces ahead of the crowd.
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Dion Richins
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 8:14pm |
I like Nikki's idea ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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LakeCityReefs
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Posted: January 07 2014 at 8:47pm |
That's a great idea. I will grow it for my first ever frag fest. Maybe I will know how to frag before then. If not somebody will enjoy a big ol tree of this stuff Thanks
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Will Spencer
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Posted: January 08 2014 at 1:27pm |
If it was indeed flaking away then Bstuver's advice is definitely good advice. Turning brown can mean a lot of things so it's hard to know with that description if you should cut or not, but falling apart is definitely bad.
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