Old Gregg Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Over the past 3 weeks or so my purply/blue mushrooms have slowly been receding and becoming significantly smaller and unhealthy looking. I have a 29g BioCube mixed with various sorts of corals from LPS, SPS, Leathers, Paly's, Zoas, GSP, all sorts of stuff. Everything is expanding and growing like a weed with the exception of the mushrooms... I just can't figure it out! And it's not just a localized event because I have two large colonies, 20+, of these mushrooms on opposite sides of the tank. Temp 81-82 SP 1.026-1.027 Mag 1400 Caclium 480 Alk 7-8 Link to comment
blasterman Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Same problem. A frag with some purple shrooms I have in my 15gal has flat out refused to grow for a year while all my zoas, acons, gree rhodactis, and various palys are thriving. Some years ago I had a 55gallon before I downsized, and my colony of purple shrooms grew like weeds. Within a few months I had half a dozen damn near the size of your hand, and un restrained they would have taken over the tank. Plus, as purple shrooms grow they color up and get nice iridescent colors. They also don't sting like rhodactis can and are fairly good neighbors. That's why I bothered getting more for my 15gal. In my 15gal my green rhodactis are now the kings and I constantly have to cut them off rocks once they get 5-6" in diameter. My theory on why my purples aren't growing - chemical warfare. Many soft corals are competitors and release compounds to inhibit the growth of competitors. My green rhodactis have stung acans and palys, and if I could cut them all out I would. Shrooms like two nutrients in surplus; iodine, and nitrate. Cranking up the nitrate in your tank might screw other things up and tick off your SPS, but beefing up iodine won't hurt. Link to comment
pablom617 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 but beefing up iodine won't hurt. I would double check that... Link to comment
iball1804 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 If you have SPS that are thriving and doing well, more than likely the water is too clean for mushrooms. I know it sounds odd, but mushrooms like fairly dirty water (relatively speaking). Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 OP, do you run activated carbon? Link to comment
saltohio Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 feed them poop and keep them in the near dark. Link to comment
masternano Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 feed them poop and keep them in the near dark. Rofl ur think about the other mushroom Link to comment
surgicalsense Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Where are they placed? I have a colony, they are just huge. Now of course when the light is out they shrink up. So I am wondering if their in a place that is shadowed? Link to comment
northeastern Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I have a very similar problem, my hammer Kenya tree and gorgonian are all happy but my red shrooms were very upset with me. I moved them to shade and am just letting them be, a small comeback is taking place but im still pretty upset I got them for being hearty and can live anywhere but for mine that doest seem to be the case Link to comment
surgicalsense Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I have a very similar problem, my hammer Kenya tree and gorgonian are all happy but my red shrooms were very upset with me. I moved them to shade and am just letting them be, a small comeback is taking place but im still pretty upset I got them for being hearty and can live anywhere but for mine that doest seem to be the case Upset with you? However do you mean? ... Are your shroom mad (because of being moved) or are you upset? Do you have a picture of the red shrooms? Your scape, even... They are pretty tuff, moderate light is okay, but they will not expand to their full potential and may also decide to move, if that. Link to comment
fewskillz Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 If you have SPS that are thriving and doing well, more than likely the water is too clean for mushrooms. I know it sounds odd, but mushrooms like fairly dirty water (relatively speaking). This was my first thought. Link to comment
Old Gregg Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Yes I do run activated carbon, well actually chemipure elite. But I haven't changed it out for about 2 months so the chances are it might need replacing. As far as being too clean, I believe that could be a possibility. There are plenty of leathers/paly's/lps in there that could be hurting things. I'll throw in some fresh activated carbon, do you think will help? Link to comment
blasterman Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I would double check that... I have. Iodine supplimenting won't hurt SPS but generally encourages softie growth, especially shrooms and palys. Better advice is to stop trying to keep SPS and shrooms thriving in the same tank because they require polar opposite water conditions, but I give up. Link to comment
ThePhilosopher Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I would like to chime in on this due to similar behaviour from some of my mushrooms. About 5 heads have receded drastically during the last month or so to the point of shrivelling up and dying. Meanwhile, every other coral and even the other mushrooms on the same rock are growing and multiplying. I would think that inferior water quality or chemical warfare would kill off all the mushrooms, and not just randomly pick them off. My prime suspects right now are flow and placement, since most of the mushrooms that fell off seemed to be in very low-flow areas and at a steep angle to the light. Link to comment
PinkDamsel Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I have. Iodine supplimenting won't hurt SPS but generally encourages softie growth, especially shrooms and palys. Blasterman, what brand iodine do you use, and what quantity for dosing? Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I'll throw in some fresh activated carbon, do you think will help? wouldn't hurt. and if it's allelopathy it should help. Link to comment
Woogalie Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Upset with you? However do you mean? ... Are your shroom mad (because of being moved) or are you upset? Do you have a picture of the red shrooms? Your scape, even... They are pretty tuff, moderate light is okay, but they will not expand to their full potential and may also decide to move, if that. Your awesome SurgicalSense! The best damn "Real Reefkeeper/Housewive of Southern Cali" Link to comment
surgicalsense Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Your awesome SurgicalSense! The best damn "Real Reefkeeper/Housewive of Southern Cali" Thanx Woogs! I am a realist, no doubt on that. Hahaha! Right! Like what does he (meaning you Old Greg, mean) I am trying to translate your troubled shrooms and it is becoming super techincal. Reading his post/reply ... with all respect Old Greg. Link to comment
castiel Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I have already found out how sensitive mushrooms are to position, light and flow. I have a large orange morph that was placed mid-tank, in a relatively high flow area and it did really well - ballooned up quite often. But then I placed it at the bottom of the tank, lower flow and obviously lower light, and it behaves completely differently. Expands even more, but in a 'droopy' way that moulds to the rock - whereas mid tank it was always extended. Not that this helps you necessarily, but I felt like sharing. Link to comment
surgicalsense Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 I have already found out how sensitive mushrooms are to position, light and flow. I have a large orange morph that was placed mid-tank, in a relatively high flow area and it did really well - ballooned up quite often. But then I placed it at the bottom of the tank, lower flow and obviously lower light, and it behaves completely differently. Expands even more, but in a 'droopy' way that moulds to the rock - whereas mid tank it was always extended. Not that this helps you necessarily, but I felt like sharing. Sharing is caring, Catiel .... your shroom is thriving. Link to comment
Old Gregg Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 I know it's an old thread but I don't find it necessary to start a new one. I ended up trying a few things since starting this post and I finally figured it out. I lowered salinity to a steady 1.025, turned off my skimmer to dirty the water and I let the calcium fall to 440 and kept it there. I've also replaced the carbon to combat any chemical warfare. Nothing changed and they continued shrinking up until a few days ago when I rearranged my tank a bit to give it more depth. One colony was being shaded by anthelia and the other colony wasnt receiving much light because the rock was too vertical and they didnt receive much light. It turns out, blue shrooms love higher amounts of light than other mushrooms Link to comment
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