Help with Mushrooms...

[SaltyinNJ]

I have a 6 month old 7 gallon mini-bow with 32 watt smartlite retro that had a few small mushrooms as it's only corals for 2 months now. The mushrooms have been doing well since I've had them until 2 weeks ago.

Two weeks ago I bought a small hammer coral which I place on the opposite side of the tank knowing their potential for sweepers. I have seen no evidence of sweepers, and the hammer is a good 8-9 inches away from the mushrooms. I have very gentle flow hitting the hammer. The hammer seems to be doing great.

 

Since the Hammer Coral, the mushrooms have not expanded nearly as much as they used to and generally don't look as healthy. My water parameters are good. Temp is stable. I do weekly 10-15% water change. Run carbon. Dose only with B-ionic, and top-off daily.

 

Am I missing something? I would like to hear opinions on what could be causing this. Thank you much.

[ross76053]

I'm sure you're aware of sweaper tentacles - and your Hammer's sting is one of the worst, with tentacles that can break off, float around in your tank and damage your mushrooms.

 

Not saying this is the case, but a possibility. Not sure of the possibility of chemical warfare with Hammers. Anyone?

[anthony812]

Mushrooms are wierd at times..there is nothing wrong with them..and as the Torch Sweepers..they are not that strong..if anything, the mushroom would kill the torch and not the other way... Mushrooms are sensitive to strong lights..so try to put them in a shaded area and constant feedign would help.

[SaltyinNJ]

I was aware that they had a potent sweeper, that is why I have the hammer in it's own corner. But, I was not aware that sweepers could break off and do damage. That sucks.

 

Should I try to take the hammer back in exchange for something more nano friendly? I really like the hammer, but I don't want to keep it at the expense of the other corals.

 

Thanks for the reply. Anymore advice anyone?

[ross76053]

No, I wouldn't take back the Hammer - Anthony's correct, your shrooms should be fine.

 

Curious to know if you have a Hammer ( Euphyllia Ancora) or Torch (Euphyllia Glabrescens). Are the polyps hammer-shaped or tube-shaped? Hammer - sting can be pretty bad. Torch may not be so bad (as Anthony pointed out).

[SaltyinNJ]

Euphyllia Ancora....very pretty....translucent brown with flourescent greenish tips. Wish I had a digital camera....

[ross76053]

Yep, wish I had one....(the coral, not the camera)...

[Korbin]

My shroomies were doing well until I put them in my 12 gallon with a frogspawn and a hammer. I could never figure it out either. Maybe they just dont like LPS? I'm keeping the frogspawn and hammer though. Screw the shrooms!

[Korbin]

I take back that last post. I just remembered my brother's 12 gallon has a gigantic hammer, and one of the biggest blue shrooms I've ever seen. Go figure.

[tinyreef]

you could swap their places. if the shrooms are 'upstream' from the torch then its sweepers may not flow back to the shrooms (not improbable in such a small system tho).

[SaltyinNJ]

The hammer IS upstream in terms of water flow from the mushrooms. I never thought of that. Maybe I will switch positions and see what happens. Thanks

[printerdown01]

If the hammer is up-stream then he probably isn't the culpret. Shrooms are weird, sometimes they look awesome and then as a colony they will go through phases. Give'm some time they'll snap out of it. I haven't heard of sweepers breaking off, but I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. Hammers produce some of the longest sweepers I've seen in euphilia. These guys can reach more than 12"!! Not a big deal, don't take'm back to the store or anything. The sweepers will extend in the middle of the night to search out nieghbors. If they become a problem just use a pair of sheers to cut them (apparently you can also pinch them off with your fingernails). The hammer won't hate you for doing it, and should be just fine. This is of course IF they become an actual problem.