Help Save My Toadstool!!

[CoolWyatturpa]

This gets a bit interesting...

When I first got my toadstool a few months ago it never really opened up nor did it show its tenticles so to speak. It was a very timid toadstool and would close up quite often. Location maybe to blame for that.

It was originally placed mid tank with a light flow but was disturbed by fish and crabs. Well it has been about 2 months and the toad have never show its tentacles. I recently moved the beast and started to feed it more vigorisly with marine snow and phytoplex. A few days later there was webbing on it and it looked glossy. Now I am just waiting.

I have been using a turkey baster and blowing on it a few times a day for the last few days. There has been no decay and nothing has fallen off it. When I first bought it, it had a big cut but now it looks like it is healed.

I am wondering what is the best way to bring it back to good health??? How can I get it to open up again or is it too late? It has looked the same for months.

[CoolWyatturpa]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=120531&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

Above is a link to the pic I posted, they are also found in My Gallery labeled Toadstool as of 7-16.

[gallery]

i have 2 in my 120 that came with the tank i have had for about 6 months and thay have never opened once and a while one of them will get a few small pylops and i have a small one in my 90 that did great for some time then didnt open for 6 months or better then started opening again but not every day i was told they do this from time to time and they will shed

[OasisTF]

Make sure nothing is feasting on them: IE Nudi, Predatory snails, etc - Pick up the coral and look at it very carefully. The number 1 thing i get with soft corals are Debdronotid nudibranchs.

Hector

[fishesRdelicious]

i have a toadstool that went through the same phase of not opening for a couple months. now it opens all the time. from the looks of the pic it has algea growing on it. try to scrub that off and then do a freshwater dip. the dip will hopefully get rid of any other slim or disease on the toadstool that is preventing it from opening. on mine this usually helped it to open. it definitly isn't too late, mine was closed for close to 5 months before it decided to open. most toadstools seem to be picky, alot of people have this problem. also like oasistf said, check to see if any thing is eating. i know that the rapa rapa snail eats them too.

[CoolWyatturpa]

When it comes to doing a dip in freshwater, is it best to find a small bucket and put it in that (both being in the tank) then take out the bucket and put it in a tub of freshwater?

How long should the dip last?

[fishesRdelicious]

i would just take some freshwater put it in a bag or bucket and then let it float in the tank. the water has to be the same temp. it should last about 5-10 minutes. while it is being dipped blow on it with your turkey baster to remove any slime, skin,etc. you may have to dip it more than once.

[HoopsGuru]

I believe dipping it is unnecessary and will be much more stress on your toadstool. If it had a disease, there would have more than likely been areas of necrosis already (they turn "cheesy").

I would move the coral to an area of more flow. They need more than low flow...much closer to medium/moderate or even a little higher. They can be disturbed by detritus settling on them, or can even become overgrown with algae related to being in an area with low flow.

The toadstool turning glossy is very common for them. It is called "sloughing", and the coral uses this to shed a mucus tunic of sorts that removes debris from its surface. This is another reason why they need higher flow, otherwise they cannot slough properly and can make the coral susceptible to bacterial infections or simply not allow the polyps to extend themselves.

[sjm817]

Mine didn't do anything until I moved it. Treat it like an SPS. LOTS of flow and light and it will open right up. Mine did anyway.