Moving a leather

[Delphinus]

I want to move a leather out of one tank into another. Not really a big deal, done it a few times before, but the problem is it's grown (very nicely) onto a rock I don't want to move along with the coral (it would involve a major reaquascaping project plus the removal of about 6 SPS corals also on this rock [it is a nice big rock]). No, I guess the rock stays put.

Anyways, since it's always been attached to a small rock that I would just move in previous times, obviously I need to think about peeling the leather off. Is this a bad idea? How hard will it be to remove off the rock, and how much risk for damage to the coral if I do that?

It obviously grew onto the rock it's on now, so I am assuming that if the coral can be placed adequately, and in a gentle enough flow so as not to move it around, it will eventually re-attach.

I'm just in the "thinking about it" stages right now, there's no hurry. But please tell me if there are any holes or flows in my logic here.

Thanks...

[Bob I]

I really hate to sound like an expert, because I am not. I have, however dealt with quite a few Leathers recently, and have always managed to have them reattach. I even managed to get that impossible Colt to attach by using the small Tupperware container method that Steve told me about.

[Delphinus]

How about peeling it off? Is there a method to the madness for accomplishing that, or just go at it slowly and try to peel or pry it off?

(I'm a little concerned, because, the one frag I once had, that utterly refused to attach to anything (and I even tried a variant of the tupperware idea on that one), was a leather finger. So I am somewhat leery of stirring the pot when it comes to leathers. I know, I know, I am a chicken. But it seems that anytime I try to fix something, I make things worse, so the life lesson that ever taught me is to "leave things alone if and whenever possible." But in this case, I do need to give the leather some more breathing room then where it's currently at, so I think an action really is eventually required here.)

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

How about peeling it off? Is there a method to the madness for accomplishing that, or just go at it slowly and try to peel or pry it off?

It might be fun trying to peel it off, especially if it is one of those slippery Cladiellas. I still say go for it. As to reattaching, I think it took six months for those Colts, but I no swear by that method, as I got two colts, and another finger leather to attach. Now I think I am infallible.

[AJ_77]

Tony, I'm wondering if you couldn't help it to "migrate" much as we do with zoos and xenia. When my 'tree/colt' attached its main stalk to an adjoining rock, I had to peel that away carefully - there was some damage, and it healed fine.

What if you put it firmly against another small rock at or near the base, and wait for the inevitable attachment? With two points of contact, you could pry the base away with some leverage, which would be needed in dealing with the slippery leather. Otherwise you might have to undercut the base to get it off - I can't see it "peeling" off at its root without difficulty.

[Canadian Man]

Tony, I am all for just snipping off the base and letting it reattach. I had a leather growing on one of my main rocks in my tank that I had some sps attached to so I just snipped the base and an done with it. I threw it in the sump and it attached so some rocks. the remaining piece has some new polyps extended on it but it will grow so slow now that it's not a big deal anymore.

ciao

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Canadian Man

Tony, I am all for just snipping off the base and letting it reattach. I had a leather growing on one of my main rocks in my tank that I had some sps attached to so I just snipped the base and an done with it. I threw it in the sump and it attached so some rocks. the remaining piece has some new polyps extended on it but it will grow so slow now that it's not a big deal anymore.

ciao

This is just a question Jon. When you snipped it did anything remain on the original rock? I am just thinking of when you do that to Xenia, it just regrows from the remaining bit.

[TANGOMAN]

My experience too is limited however I'll share it with ya' anyway... I receieved a leather not long ago and placed it in the tank. I made the mistake of "propping it up" as it appeared in need of support. It was attached to it's original base rock and also became attached half-way up to it's support. I did tear it off the support. A small wound was evident but it's healing quickly.

[AJ_77]

Originally Posted by rcipema

This is just a question Jon. When you snipped it did anything remain on the original rock? I am just thinking of when you do that to Xenia, it just regrows from the remaining bit.

Bob, if you check Jonny's quote, I think he's saying that there is some growth from the spot, but not enough to concern him.

Maybe it's much like mushrooms or xenia, and you have to scour the same spot until they stop coming back. Of course on a rock with a half-dozen SPS on it, he's not free to be working on it a lot, and would likely be removing a new leather frag every few months. It'd be interesting to see if the spot eventually gets grown over by the hard corals.

[Delphinus]

Sounds like it's a perfectly do-able thing, then. Thanks for all the advice guys!