Need some leather advice (1 Viewer)

[gruntmon]

I got a nice leather coral from the swap earlier this year. But I am running into a couple of issues... My smaller clarkii is trying to host it, he keeps digging it out of the sand, I don't know how to mount it, if it even is suppose to be mounted. It's growing really well, probably doubled in size from what I got. Anyone know more about these? It's more of the colt/finger leather, long fingers. I don't know which type it was exactly. So, please, any help would be great.

It's almost another third as many fingers since this photo was taken and has loads of new buds for more, I don't want the silly clown damaging it.

Thanks much

 

[RaysReef]

You can definately mount it...Usually if you wedge it between to LR it will attached itself or use a fish line and tie it down to a LR, not to tight though, you don't want to splice it in half. Worst case senerio you can super glue the base, but it can detach in time.

 

[wolmutt]

rubber band. set it on top of a rubble rock it will attack then put the rock where you want....use and old net or some cheese cloth, put it over the base, set the coral on a rubble rock or whatever and use rubber bands to secure the net...not a very good description but I hope it gives you some ideas. I have never been able to get soft corals to stick to anything with super glue gel. Maybe with the accelerator. I have never tried that.

It's totally fine for the clown to rub on it. Clowns will bond with clams, soft corals, whatever. They do not seem to mind. Clams don't close up, soft corals are not stressed, etc... Good luck!

 

[gruntmon]

I tried the rubber band and rubble rock when I first got the coral, even with the rubberband VERY lose (was barely holding it to the rock) the thing almost cut in half. I tried the epoxy, but haven't tried the superglue. I think I may just leave it a sand dweller till we get the new tank and set it up that way. Any ideas what type of leather coral it is?

 

[David Grigor]

The most success I have at mounting leathers ( hundreds of them ), is to take some dental floss ( not mint ) and a needle. Thread the floss through the base of the coral and superglue the ends of the floss to the rock enough to keep it fairly firm. The floss is fat enough that it doesn't usually cut through yet you have more control on getting the coral from moving around like a rubber band. The rubber band trick usually only works well for larger leathers. Normally takes about 2 weeks but I just leave the floss permanently or just cut the ends and leave the floss part that is in the coral.

 

[kjdeut]

I usually ended up doing what Ray mentioned and would wedge it between the rocks. Softies can be a real pain when it comes to mounting.

Ken