Turf Wars: SPS vs Mushrooms. Who wins?

[wrfreeman]

So I've got true mixed reef with SPS dominating the upper third of the tank and the rest is a good selection of LPS and zoas. No mushrooms at the moment. If I introduce mushrooms and they spread out like they are want to do, who will win the turf wars? Will the SPS keep the mushrooms at bay?

 

[cloak]

The mushrooms will eventually crowd out the sps IMO.

 

[wrfreeman]

Hmmmm. That's what I figured. Well, I like my SPS too much for that to happen so no mushrooms for me! Thanks man.

 

[tankstudy]

I think it depends on who can sting harder.

 

[Wiz]

I would not be super quick to judge. The mushrooms may well crowd out smaller SPS. But there is no way that they would get big enough to cover my DiGi's. So you may lose Encrusting ones but sticks I would imagine would be ok as long as they are tall enough.

 

[buzzword]

The mushrooms will win hands down as they are technically an anemone.

 

[wrfreeman]

I have a meteor shower that's really spreading out and needs to reined in anyway. My sticks I think will be fine (digi's, stylo, pocci, birdsnest) I think. I also have a pretty large colony of spongodes but it's grown out sideways from the rock and attached to the back glass. I'm not sure anything can stop it. My caps are big enough that they should be fine I would think. I might add one or two to see what happens. I guess the problem is once they're in there, they're in there. It's a roll of the dice I suppose. I have one small rock with some ricordia on it, but they haven't spread off that rock yet and it's set off by itself.

 

[Wiz]

It most certainly is a risk. However I am sure that there are ways to remove them if you do not like them. Especially if they are technically anemones there is ways to make their foot let go

 

[wrfreeman]

I'll have to give it some careful consideration. I thank you all for your input!

 

[cloak]

In my opinion there's a reason why you don't see a lot of mushrooms in some of those beautiful sps dominant reef tanks on sites like this and others. It's not that it can't be done, it's just a bad mix to begin with. Be careful. GL.

 

[Wiz]

I have an extremely mix tank with SPS and mushrooms and Zoas and leather is all in very close proximity.If anything starts acting up I do what I must to separate the feuders. However some of the combinations that grow together are very pretty.Like this one. The sunny ds and the purple digi do not bother each other at all. There is also a Superman mushroom on the lower right side but it is small and has not bothering anything. It is touching the Digi and the sunny ds.

 

[Wiz]

• Almost forgot, The blue micro musa on the right came unglued and fell into the mushrooms on the left of it Was there for at least a couple of hours overnight and I fixed it in the morning with no detriment.

 

[wrfreeman]

I've got two different chalice that are small, but doing well and showing slow and steady growth. I would hate for the mushrooms to overtake them. I suppose since the mushrooms are in the anemone family and have feet, I can always remove any that start to encroach where they're not wanted. I do like the splash of color that mushrooms add. Walking the fence I am.

 

[Wiz]

And be vigilant you must.... lol

 

[Reefrookie220]

Keep them like you would Xenia. Give em their own rock. Should be fine.

 

[wrfreeman]

I've not kept Xenia for the same reason I haven't dabbled in mushrooms yet, they go where they will. I think what I really need to do is to set up a softie tank! That would both solve and add to my problems My wife would most likely kill me in my sleep.

 

[Blitzie]

Keep them like you would Xenia. Give em their own rock. Should be fine.

Sorry in my opinion Don't do it
This is what I thought too and I had to take a tank down and restart
The dang mushrooms starting spreading to nearby rocks more than 8 inches away

 

[A+Aquatics]

@wrfreeman this is a coons age ago! My my my how far we have come! [emoji43]