New finger coral not doing well

[Whiloh]

I have just purchased a new finger coral at my LFS, and it was doing well for the first couple days, and is now shrunk, and turning from pink to a blueish green. one of the fingers is doing well, but the main portion is not looking so hot.

Is this a sign that it is dying or is this just an acclimation period? this is my first soft coral in the tank, and i am still a little inexperienced on this subject, as have been mostly fish only in my tank.

salinity is 1.025, amonia is non existant, nitrite is non existant, nitrate is barely registering.....

I have several mushroom polyps, (7-10) a chocolate chip starfish, perculla clown, small yellow damsal and a small blue chromis, 20 dwarf hermits 3 snails, and a pepermint shrimp.

55 gallon tank with a 3-3.5 inch crushed coral/live sand bed.

Any input would be great, and i can attempt a picture soon, but will require a lot of work to get...

[DaveC]

Finger leathers come and go..meaning one day they look beautiful and the next two days they are all shrunk up....I would not worry as this is just something they do....just so you know your choc chip starfish is not a reef safe starfish....

http://www.aquahobby.com/marine/e_chipstar.php

DaveC

[SVTour]

Originally posted by DaveC
....just so you know your choc chip starfish is not a reef safe starfish....

http://www.aquahobby.com/marine/e_chipstar.php

DaveC

Hmm, I have a chocolate chip and coral, and have not had any issues. Usually he just stays on the glass. Guess I'll need to keep an eye on him.

That article is funny though, it states not to expose them to air, but more often than not mine has 2 of his legs exposed to air (as he bends backwards at the top).

Also, I would not worry about the leather Whiloh, it took mine about 3 weeks to become acclimated. You may even see it molt once or twice (where it gets a waxy looking and sheds).

[thrlride]

I agree, my leathers look rough on some days and others it is really big and happy.

[dnkygirl]

It's all apart of there molting process... they like a nice current on them all the time. I have one and it's really funny to me. It moves over everyday to sway in the strong current. At night it strinks up, then every 2 weeks it molts. Really interesting coral...