Mushroom Behavior

[Phyl]

I have a beautiful brown/maroon hairy shroom. It has always expanded really big during the day (pic in my gallery). A few days ago it changed it's behavior. There is one part of the shroom that doesn't expand anymore and the rest of the shroom "shelters" this part of the shroom in its folds. The mushroom has new stalk growth under this part of the mushroom now so it has the stalk under the main part of the shroom and more stalk extending down the rock holding onto this smaller piece of the main shroom. I only see one mouth, the main one that has been there. Is my mushroom splitting? The bottom part looks so shriveled that it looks like that part of the shroom is dying. I'm trying to figure out of I should frag it to save it or leave it alone and celebrate the growth, lol. I wouldn't know one from the other at this point because I've never seen a shroom multiply (or die) before.

Thanks!

 

[steve-s]

Where is the shroom in relation to the GSP I see near it in the pic? Could be a bit of warfare. Not too much will win a battle with Pachyclavularia sp.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Phyl]

The shroom is at the bottom of the tank on the right about 2 rocks over from the GSP which is now at the rightmost part of that rock formation. I've moved it since the picture all the way to the right. The shroom is at the leftmost part of that rock formation just to the right of where the orange sun coral was sitting at the time (which has also been moved further right). The GSP is just a small frag on a little rock. Hasn't spread to the base rock under it. Are we worried about touching or just proximity? Now it looks like its mouth may have fallen under attack and the shriveled part looks more shriveled.

 

[steve-s]

Are we worried about touching or just proximity?

Both, certain corals don't need to be too close to each other to cause damage. Having "like" species beside each other is usually the best option.

Now it looks like its mouth may have fallen under attack and the shriveled part looks more shriveled.

What you're describing sounds much like an irritant. Water flow, nearby corals or a predator.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Phyl]

Here's what it looks like now.

 

[steve-s]

Ahhh... It's all coming to me now... LOL

It's splitting.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Phyl]

That's kind of what I was hoping, but there looks like there's ... um... mushroom blood coming from the original mouth (down to where the new mouth is). Which is why I thought it was getting worse. So they do split then? It has been protecting the ... baby ... so well that I haven't been able to really get a good look at that part of the shroom.

I'll sit patiently unless it looks like it is worsening.

I have other shrooms but nothing else has attempted splitting yet!

This growth process is killing me, lol! First the leather that shriveled to shed (and now looks wonderful), then my prize shroom (I really love this thing) that went from glorious to having a shriveled piece that may be splitting... *crosses fingers*

 

[steve-s]

They will reproduce in two ways generally. Budding from the foot or dividing. The extra white bit you're seeing is the formation of a new mouth. The "blood" if you will is most likely mesenterial filaments. Not necessarily a sign of poor health but something to watch. They are mainly used for feeding or in defense.

Cheers
Steve