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3K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  geedoug 
#1 ·
I have had a toadstool leather (Sarcophyton alcyonidae, I believe) for several weeks. He has been open and polyps full all day long for the whole time until yesterday. I have no experience with these so I don't know if this is normal but, now he is very retracted and curling up and has been for 2 days. The only new thing I have done is I am now using a Poly filter pad in the skimmer sump to absorb phoshphates (near .8 or so). He has no signs of mucus or expelling anything. Could the Poly filter be the cause?
Thanks!

P.S. Other water parameters all seem okay to me:

Temp 81.0F
calc = @480
ph = 8.0 - 8.1
nitrates = 0
nitrites = 0
ammonia = 0
phosphates = .8 (have been high for a week or so, I think from Corallife salt mix)
SG = 1.027
 
#2 ·
I have experienced with the pellet kind of phosphate remover to cause toadstool to retract, but have not had experience with phosphate pad. But it could be. But you don't have to be alarmed thay will usualy recover and open up again (mine did after I removed the pellets, you might try removing the phosphate pad and see what happen.
 
#3 ·
Mine has done this in the past and once a couple of days has passed it re-opened. Mine will also close if it gets even one grain of sand on it, and stay closed until I fan it off. I happen to have a tomato clown that is creating sandstorms in the vicinity of my toadstool.

Rick
 
G
#4 ·
Poly pads work differently than the typical Aluminum Silicate based Phosphate removers and don't usually cause bad reactions like this. The Aluminum based phos removers are very hard on soft corals. Using them isnt advised, rather try attacking the problem at its source.Since nothing has changed but adding the polyp pad, I say pull it out and see what happens. However be aware that most leather corals do go into a sulking phase that may last from a few hours to a week or so. Several of mine are regular as clockwork and go into retreat/shedding at full and new moon. HTH

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