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Whoyah
12-09-2006, 12:11 PM
I have a stubby finger leather that has been consisting dropping branches for 6 months now. I am not sure if this is a sign of stress or good health. The branches turn white at the base then droop down and fall off. The whole process takes a week or so. The branchs then attach to rocks and look very healthy. The mother colony has it polyps extended most of the time and new branches are starting to grow back on the mother colony. About 3/4 of the original branches have dropped off. It is nice to have frags but I would like to see the mother colony grow larger. Any thoughts??

dakar
12-09-2006, 08:32 PM
Self fragging colony.... Sounds like the weed (aka Kenya tree) we had... dang thing threw a frag every couple of days... they spread like weeds.. though the mother colony never really did grow to great proportions it got quite large over time. Pretty sure this is common amongst most soft branching types, perhaps some sort of growth control, or is there a possibility of some aleopathy going on for you that is inhibiting larger growth.... maybe?

Whoyah
12-09-2006, 11:08 PM
aleopathy??? Hmm not sure what this means.

At one point it was doing really well with nice growth and expanition but that only last for a couple months. I sure some "thing" has changed. It is in the same spot but maybe the flow has changed. Maybe it is time to move the PHs around.

melev
12-12-2006, 01:28 AM
Alleopathy is the invisible chemical warfare corals wage against one another. Quite often it is the culprit when you see an anemone withering away even though the other anemone is completely at the opposite end of the tank.

I have a Devil's Hand that self frags all the time. I really believe the reason this occurs is because the coral doesn't have more rockwork to grow onto. If there was more rock, it would spread out. Since it can't feel anything nearby, it drops babies.

Which works for DFWMAS because every new member gets a free frag of it. :)

Whoyah
12-12-2006, 10:15 PM
Thanks for the definition. The leather does jut out into up space maybe by having it touch something like another rock it will stop dropping branches. It makes a lot of sense as a survival technique goes. Try to spread out before something does. Thanks for the idea.

jojo22
12-12-2006, 10:27 PM
I'll take a frag if you want to sell any little ones that pop up!!

Whoyah
12-12-2006, 10:58 PM
Or how about a trade? I am all about trading. I have a few branches dropping as we speak. Send me a PM and we can work out the details.

jojo22
12-12-2006, 11:14 PM
You have PM.

reefbound
12-31-2006, 08:13 AM
Mine is doing the same exact thing... I have three 50 cent size piece's floating around the tank bottom right now,with two more ready to drop.
I thought I had a small nudi eating the leather.

Whoyah
12-31-2006, 09:40 AM
I redirected a powerhead so that leather is getting stronger but not direct current and it has stopped dropping branches plus looks really good. It has started to regrow some of the branches it dropped. You might try that.

jojo22
01-15-2007, 07:06 PM
Whats up with that frag buddy??? Its after christmas so if you still want to get rid of a frag or two let me know!!!

Whoyah
01-15-2007, 08:17 PM
I have been crazy busy with my new job and just have not had alot of extra time. Don't worry Joe, there still a frag with your name on it. The stronger flow seems to have fixed the problem of the dropping branches. It seems alot happier now.

jojo22
01-15-2007, 08:32 PM
Sweet. Glad to hear the new job is keeping you busy and that your coral is doing better. Just let me know when you're ready no rush on my end.

ramoth41
02-19-2007, 04:58 PM
Hey Jo..
You still want leather? I Have leather!! lol
let me know and I'm closer!! lol

jojo22
02-19-2007, 05:00 PM
Got anything that will live under MH???

ramoth41
02-21-2007, 02:30 PM
Jojo... my monster is under 2 175MH but they are n either side of him... Soo you could put them under the MH as long as isn't directly under them... or if you can get them deep enough. I have a few small ones now.. let me know!

As for the one dropping fingers... He is reproducing! Take a rock and ruberband it down and viola new leather! The parent to mine was doing the same thing and I do believe mine will start doing it soon! Heck I had my Favia drop a baby or two!
Really neat that they can reproduce in so many ways!! Dropping babies, cut a piece.. grows new from what's left, spawning.. so many choices! hehehe

Whoyah
02-21-2007, 09:25 PM
Apparently my leather just need some stronger current. I redirected a PH and that fixed the problem. The mother colony is starting to fill back in and the frags are starting to grow.

jojo22
02-21-2007, 09:33 PM
SHAWEET!!

hummer
02-22-2007, 01:04 AM
congrats glad the coral is doing better good save...