Toadstool Damage!

[DeanG13]

Started about a week ago and has progressed as follows....

August 11th

August 14th

Today

My parameters are stable, other than salinity which was low last week. I've been slowly raising the salinity over the past week and it's back up to where it should be but I can't imagine this was the result of low salinity.

Can anyone help out and ID what's going on with my poor coral?

Thanks!

 

[Smitty]

Looks like it's just shedding to me..which is normal for leathers. Give it time, it'll be fine.

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

+1 Smitty. I think it'll be fine with time. Mine looked bad a few weeks ago when it was shedding, but now it's back to its beautiful self! ;)

 

[dcantucson]

You might try putting it in a little more flow to help it's shedding.

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

Or use a turkey baster...

 

[reeffreak]

Is the brown on the head and the specks of brown on the stalk progressing?It sure looks like it from the pictures.After blowing the brown stuff off does it appear that parts of the toady is melting,rotting?

I've seen fungal infections look very similar on other leathers.You may need to do iodine dip.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah the brown stuff isn't typical for shedding...

 

[ccCapt]

I agree with Reef and Biff. That's not shedding, it disintegrating. I would toss it out before it gets worse. If your not running any carbon you should start now. Leathers can release some nasty toxins.

 

[Bifferwine]

Did you happen to have a temperature spike in your tank before or during the time that the leather started doing this? Last weekend, my fiance and I were replacing the sliding glass door in the room where my tank is, and because the room was open for so long, my tank got up to nearly 90 degrees. The next day my toadstool started looking like yours -- getting stringy, slimy and melting away. I ended up taking it out and throwing it away because it was clearly dying and making a gross mess. Luckily that's the only thing I lost...

 

[DeanG13]

The brown stuff seems almost scaley. Today the toadstool opened up (head and polyps) more than it had the past few days and the brown stuff seemed to be peeling and floating off, more likely resembling shedding. I didn't get a chance to take a pic but it definitely looks more healthy than any of the above pics.

Biff, I don't think there's been a very large change in temperature recently but I'll be sure to be more careful as to not have the same issue as you did.

The toadstool has shed before in the past, but never with this brown "encrustation".

Reeffreak, I don't think the brown spots on the trunk are progressing. What is involved in the iodine dip? If this was a fungal infection, do you think that would help?

Thanks for all the responses!

 

[reeffreak]

You would need to put the coral in some kind of container with some of the tank water.Use an iodine dip or Lugol's product but not the type of iodine use for dosing.

Reef Dip
Reef Aquarium Supplements: Kent Marine Lugol's Solution

Even though you maybe out of the woods.Keeping a bottle handy to dip your corals before introduction is a good idea.

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

I'd iodine dip it just in case it has an infection of sorts (better safe than sorry). I use Lugol's.

 

[DeanG13]

Reefreak, you were right. Upon closer observation the brown spots on the trunk are progressing! Here's a pic I snapped a few minutes ago.

I'm debating tossing the leather since some people said the decay could release some harmful toxins. I just wanted to get some sort of conclusion about what you all thought; it's about split down the middle between those who have replied thinking it's just shedding, and those who think the toad stool has an infection/is decaying.

Please reply with your verdict;

1) TOSS
2) TREAT WITH LUGOL'S
3) KEEP AND ALLOW SHEDDING

 

[Bifferwine]

I vote for option 4: Surgery. Cut off the brown parts, dip it in Lugol's and put it back in your tank.

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

I vote either Biff's Option 4 or Option 2. With the brown progressing, I don't think it's just shedding. However, I think you should try Lugol's (+ surgery) before simply tossing it. I think there's still hope...

 

[DeanG13]

Ok just completed the iodine dip. I followed the directions on the bottle for a coral dip and let it sit in there for 10 minutes. Hope this does the trick. If it's not looking any better, I may repeat in a few days. Keep you updated. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

Good luck!

 

[reeffreak]

I was going to say option 2 or option 4.

I will hope for the best.You may want to kill the couple of aiptasias in that pic,