Need To Cut Devils Hand Leather

[Jacobini man]

i have a devils hand leather that I need to cut as it is overshadowing some corals. I have heard that they release toxins water when they are sliced/cut. what do I have to do to avoid hurting other corals?

I do have a mixed reef with few acros, mushrooms, zoa,s and palys, rbta, euphyllias and the big chunks of yellow scrolls.

i have an ATS convereted emperor bio wheel with ceramic media and DIY in-tank protein skimmer.

please advise.

 

[Poseidon]

I have cut leathers a few times without adverse side affects, BUT:
if it does worry you, then take it out of the tank and cut it in a separate container of tank water.
Then rinse it really well in tank water before putting it back in.

I may be wrong so wait for others to chime in

 

[Jacobini man]

thanks for your input, king. I would love to do that but I cannot as I need to remove the whole arch stone assembly. forgot to mention in my thread that it is on an assembled arch rock work that is epoxied together. turbo snail keeps on knocking my rock work so I have to glue it down. don't want to arrive from work with a flooded room because of knock down rocks.

thanks again for your input my good sir!

 

[Luke.]

I have cut leathers a few times without adverse side affects, BUT:
if it does worry you, then take it out of the tank and cut it in a separate container of tank water.
Then rinse it really well in tank water before putting it back in.

I may be wrong so wait for others to chime in

This is always a solid plan and can't go wrong

 

[Jacobini man]

thanks, the king gave a solid advise.

 

[heath]

I cut a cabbage leather and it crashed my tank but, the piece that I cave away did wonderful..I would do it outside the tank...

 

[yveterinarian]

I have cut my Devil's Hand several times as it keeps outgrowing the area it is located. It is due again because it and my bubble coral are fighting. I have never taken it out for the same reason as you - my rocks are glued together. I have never had a problem with any of the inhabitants of my tank. I would recommend wearing gloves though just so that you don't have any adverse effects.

 

[Jacobini man]

thanks for the advise.

@ heath - I am sorry for your loss.

@ yvette - i find it quite odd that i feel a sting when ever i touch the leather. it seems that I am not the only one.

thanks again.

 

[Pipes]

Would carbon added to the filter help with any toxins? Or perhaps a reactor added to the tank temporarily.???

 

[Aquatic Dreams]

Would carbon added to the filter help with any toxins? Or perhaps a reactor added to the tank temporarily.???

That's exactly what I was thinking. Whenever something happens that releases toxins into the tank it's always suggested to run carbon. Like when an anemone gets sucked into a powerhead. And a water change as well. I've never cut a leather coral before but will be doing so soon. But fortunately I will be cutting mine outside of the tank. However I did have an anemone get partially sucked into a powerhead and the water change and carbon seemed to help.

 

[Jacobini man]

thanks for all the input. i'm kinda scared of cutting it as my tank is a bit on a boom. sps are growing and my zoas are multiplying (thanks scubasteve for the cherry charms and frilly blondes).

for the water change, is it suggested to do it after cutting the leather, correct? then run the activated carbon?

thanks.

 

[Aquatic Dreams]

Yes the water change would be after cutting. You could start running the carbon before as it's not going to hurt anything. And you could always just cut a small piece off the leather first and observe the results.

 

[Jacobini man]

thanks for the input.

I am planning to remove the whole stalk of it, is it make a slit, then let it heal. then slit again until i have complete removal? at least the exposed cut area will be into a minimum per slit.

thanks

 

[Chemical guy]

run some carbon after you cut it use a razor as the less tissue damage you do the better