Mushroom leather. Is it fine?

[Mbheat77]

Hello I am wondering if I can get some advice. I am a newbie to the hobby but have had my tank running for about a year. A buddy of mine that got in into the hobby a little after me has given up. So he let me get the pick of things I wanted out of his tank. I got a mushroom leather from him that was flourishing in his tank. It was shedding and growing fine. So when I went to take it off the rock it was on I tried to get as close to the rock as possible to take it off. I even pulled some of the rock off with it. Anyway the stem was standing tall in his tank, but now it is looking like a flat balloon. The 1st pic is of it in my buddy tank and the rest are how it looks presently. I just want to know is it going to ever stand tall again or is it going to lay like it is. It was in full bloom when I took it but my buddy said he thought it was going to shed. It looks like its trying to open back up, but its laying on some rock work. What should I do? Thanks in advance for any info. 

[Mbheat77]

Sorry I can't upload my picks. 

[Origami]

First, try taking a knife and making a clean cut at the base where it's torn (if it is, in fact, torn). The clean cut may be less traumatic than a rip. Second, you're going to have to put it up against something so it can reattach. And, finally, you may just have to give it a week or two to recover from the change. Toadstools can be pretty resilient. Heck, you can completely behead the stalk and frag the head and all the frags and the stalk will develop into new toadstools.

[Mbheat77]

Ok thanks origami. I have it kind of of resting and wedged between a rock. I tried to glue it on the rock but it kept falling off. I will let it just sit for a bit and see what happens. Are the stems foots like regular mushrooms and can attach itself to a rock on its own?

[Origami]

Yes. Leathers are not easily glued as they will tend to exude a slime that makes it difficult to glue. There are a variety of techniques that you can use to hold them in close contact with substrate until they attach. Some will wedge the flesh between a couple of rocks as you've done. Others will stick toothpicks or bamboo skewers through the base and tie or rubberband the foot down to a rock. There are other ways, but these are two that I can think of offhand.

[Mbheat77]

Wow ok I was being overly cautious with it not wanting to kill it. But from what u are saying it seems like they will figure it out as long as I can keep it still for a couple weeks. So last question like I said I did try and glue it and it does have some rubble from my buddies rock on the foot/stem. Should I try and clean that off still or let it be. It's been in my tank now for about a week. I still looks like a flat balloon but the tenticles do look like they are starting or trying to open up. Thanks for all your advise 

[Origami]

If the "foot" looks reasonably happy, don't worry about rubble.

Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk

[Mbheat77]

Ok cool thanks. I will just let it be for now. It is showing some life. It's not standing tall but it is showing life and starting to sprout. Not seeing any tentacles yet but alot of the knots starting.