HELP! Mushrooms unhappy

Tristan · Apr 25, 2016

So basically I was gone for a day because I was at my dad's house and when I came back to my 10g I saw that 2 out of 3 of my mushrooms (I think the first one is a rhodactis and the second one is a discomusa) detached from their spots which they had been I for weeks/months. I got them from separate retailers. I got back late and I have tested parameters yet. Everything else is fine though.

This is separate from what is above. I got a large ricordea from my LFS a couple months ago with very full bumps and stuff but now that it went into my tank, it's as flat as a discomosa. Same thing happened with the rhodactis that detached. Why is this? Both of them were under LEDs at the retailer.

sc50964 · Apr 25, 2016

Detached? Have you checked your phosphate level? With LPS, they will detach themselves from the rocks when PO4 gets too high.

ESVAreefer · Apr 25, 2016

Mushroom coral are quite happy with nitrates exceeding 25ppm as well as phosphate over 1 ppm. They hate high flow and my jawbreakers and other discos let me know when the flow is too high by detaching themselves. As far as light they will let you know if it's WAY too strong by immediately shriveling up and staying that way.If the light is strong but not cripplingly so they try moving themselves away from the light meaning if lights too high for it to be comfortable it will move itself down or into a shaded are. My bet is flow. Do some testing but if all things fail it's a 10 gallon tank just do a 50% water change and put the shrooms in partial shade. Also you'll want to have your mushies re attach to a rock just find a small jar and put some rubble in it then the shroom the check in a week it should be attached to the rubble also don't put the rhodactis in the jar with the disco from my experience rhodactis/ricordeas have a mild sting that can upset shrooms that are in a sensitive state.

reef lover · Apr 25, 2016

sc50964 said:
Detached? Have you checked your phosphate level? With LPS, they will detach themselves from the rocks when PO4 gets too high.

Mushies are not LPs...

ESVAreefer · Apr 25, 2016

reef lover said:
Mushies are not LPs...

Lol that's what I was thinking XD

sc50964 · Apr 25, 2016

My bad. Must be delusional due to late hours. My experience with mushroom detaching is that it's just not happy with where it was located. It could be flow, lights, or simply just doesn't like its neighbor because it's too crowded. It will flow itself and eventually find a place of its liking. As long as you make sure that there is low light and flow areas within your tank, they should be fine there.

Tristan · Apr 25, 2016

ESVAreefer said:
Mushroom coral are quite happy with nitrates exceeding 25ppm as well as phosphate over 1 ppm. They hate high flow and my jawbreakers and other discos let me know when the flow is too high by detaching themselves. As far as light they will let you know if it's WAY too strong by immediately shriveling up and staying that way.If the light is strong but not cripplingly so they try moving themselves away from the light meaning if lights too high for it to be comfortable it will move itself down or into a shaded are. My bet is flow. Do some testing but if all things fail it's a 10 gallon tank just do a 50% water change and put the shrooms in partial shade. Also you'll want to have your mushies re attach to a rock just find a small jar and put some rubble in it then the shroom the check in a week it should be attached to the rubble also don't put the rhodactis in the jar with the disco from my experience rhodactis/ricordeas have a mild sting that can upset shrooms that are in a sensitive state.

Could they detach because of a peppermint shrimp bothering them?

ESVAreefer · Apr 25, 2016

I've had hermit crabs bother them to a degree that they detach but a peppermint should be too light. Just watch and see if the peppermint is picking at the shroom just walking on it shouldn't be an issue. If he is the issue removing him is easy!

Reeferfourlife · Apr 25, 2016

+1 flow might be too high for them

Tristan · Apr 25, 2016

Reeferfourlife said:
+1 flow might be too high for them

They are in low flow areas that are in moderate-low light.

ESVAreefer · Apr 25, 2016

. These rocks constantly drop shrooms so no biggie if they detach just get the reattached and where you want them. If they find some place they want to be odds are it won't be where you want them.