mushrooms melting away! - Aquarium Advice

mandown123 · 04-07-2008, 07:47 PM

Hi guys. Got one for the gurus.

Tank is going good, so I bought a rock with some neat ricordea and other mushrooms i cant ID (can't find the exact ones). Well, the ricordea is doing awesome, but these green neonish mushrooms are melting away and their flesh is just dying! SUCKS!

I just tested my levels right now:

pH - 8.0
Alk - 2.5
trIte - 0
trAte - 0
Ammo - 0
SG - 1.022 - 1.023

I didn't realize my alklinity dropped slightly from where it was a few weeks ago, also pH went down .2

Is this killing the poor little guys? They looked very healthy when i got them honestly. I don't think the lighting is the problem, as they are mushies. The ricordea is flourishing, it has clearly grown since i got it, but the others are bleaching out and they are dying with fuzzy patches appearing where the skin is dying and all that. Very sucky, again!

What do you think - is the Alk to blame? How can I remedy?

P.S. i ordered phos and calc test kits but they haven't come yet

mandown123 · 04-07-2008, 08:55 PM

actually trate is closer to 10. It took longer to show up on the test, i just left the water in the tube and came back and its 10 now. Still, 10 isnt THAT bad. These mushies are really looking like theyve had a rough time. Probably wont live no matter what I do, but the others can be saved! lol

cccapt · 04-07-2008, 09:24 PM

If that alk is 2.5 meq/l, it's only a little low and shouldn't be any problem. If it's 2.5 dKH, then it is really low. If you have any coralline algea, LPS or SPS in your tank, they use up alk, calcium and magnesium, so it's not unusual that your alk dropped.

Mushrooms for the most part are pretty indestructable. All I can suggest of do a few 25% pwc's as they never hurt. I would raise the SG to about 1.025 while you're doing the pwc's.

What lighting do you have and what brand salt do you use?

mandown123 · 04-07-2008, 10:25 PM

cccapt - i thought they were indestructable too, thats why I figured it would be a great piece of rock to buy as my first non fish growth. Not the case here for some reason.

I will do another PWC wednesday when I have time, I just hope they can survive that long... they dont look good.

Salt is reef crystals

Lighting I have a cheap T5 4x39watt, but i only have a 30 gallon 16" deep and they are at mid level. In the store they were under MH but at the wayyy bottom of a decently tall display shelf tank

it is a new tank but I believe I have noticed some red coralline growth, maybe that dropped it. No crazy growth though, everything is kinda where it was when i put it in give or take. Don't know if it is noteworthy but i do have somewhat of a hair algae problem, but I think I have turned the tide of the battle.

**Devilishturtles** · 04-08-2008, 06:49 PM

Are there any other corals near the mushrooms? Are the ricordeas really close or touching the mushrooms? If so, try breaking the rock and moving them apart from each other and see if that helps.

mandown123 · 04-09-2008, 01:40 AM

the ricordia is right next to one of them, but it looked good in the store and the one next to the ric is hangig on the longest so far. just tested my phosphates at somewhere between .2 and .4 (cheap kit) I put in a phos eater filter pad.water change tomorrow and then ive done all i can do.

**Devilishturtles** · 04-09-2008, 10:32 AM

If it looked good in the store, maybe it didn't have enough time to be affected by the ric or their flow and filtration is a lot better than yours?

Just saying, mushrooms are infamous for their chemical warfare issues and I've had mushrooms kill other corals before and I've had ricordeas and mushrooms combat each other. Might not hurt to atleast try if you've tried everyting else, because like was mentioned, mushrooms are pretty much indestructible.

HTH

mandown123 · 04-09-2008, 10:38 AM

can i like physically remove the mushroom it self and try to plant it somewhere else? will that work? it seems so weak and helpless that i dont know that it would even take if such a thing were possible. the ricordia part that is near the other mushroom is like a little whitish on the edge. maybe it is chemical warfare, but is the poison of a ric far reaching enough to kill the mushrooms on the entire rock??? The one right next to it is lasting the longest

**roka64** · 04-09-2008, 10:55 AM

Yeah, I've seen folks pull shrooms up and move them. Get it by the stalk and gently pull, it will release and you can place it elsewhere. If I remember correctly, you can put it on a rock with no flow and it will attach (I think).

**Devilishturtles** · 04-09-2008, 10:55 AM

Maybe. The fact that it is white indicates there is some sort of battle going on.

If you can't break the rock apart (you can take the mushrooms out of water for quite a while if you need to) then a really sharp razor blade can be used to cut it off. Only problem with that is that unless you cut into the rock too, there will still be flesh of the mushroom left on the rock and a new mushroom can bud off of that.

04-07-2008, 07:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
mandown123 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 297	mushrooms melting away! Hi guys. Got one for the gurus. Tank is going good, so I bought a rock with some neat ricordea and other mushrooms i cant ID (can't find the exact ones). Well, the ricordea is doing awesome, but these green neonish mushrooms are melting away and their flesh is just dying! SUCKS! I just tested my levels right now: pH - 8.0 Alk - 2.5 trIte - 0 trAte - 0 Ammo - 0 SG - 1.022 - 1.023 I didn't realize my alklinity dropped slightly from where it was a few weeks ago, also pH went down .2 Is this killing the poor little guys? They looked very healthy when i got them honestly. I don't think the lighting is the problem, as they are mushies. The ricordea is flourishing, it has clearly grown since i got it, but the others are bleaching out and they are dying with fuzzy patches appearing where the skin is dying and all that. Very sucky, again! What do you think - is the Alk to blame? How can I remedy? P.S. i ordered phos and calc test kits but they haven't come yet

04-07-2008, 09:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
cccapt SW 10 & Over Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Northeast PA Posts: 1,291 Images: 2	If that alk is 2.5 meq/l, it's only a little low and shouldn't be any problem. If it's 2.5 dKH, then it is really low. If you have any coralline algea, LPS or SPS in your tank, they use up alk, calcium and magnesium, so it's not unusual that your alk dropped. Mushrooms for the most part are pretty indestructable. All I can suggest of do a few 25% pwc's as they never hurt. I would raise the SG to about 1.025 while you're doing the pwc's. What lighting do you have and what brand salt do you use? __________________ 125g reef See My Tank Info Check out The build project

04-08-2008, 06:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
Devilishturtles Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Frederick, Maryland Posts: 7,775 Images: 17	Are there any other corals near the mushrooms? Are the ricordeas really close or touching the mushrooms? If so, try breaking the rock and moving them apart from each other and see if that helps. __________________ -Lindsay Live in the Western MD/West Virginia/DC Metro Area? Join our very active regional forum Here Like the advice someone just gave you? Add to their reputation! Click on the balance icon underneath their username and let them know.

04-09-2008, 10:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
Devilishturtles Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Frederick, Maryland Posts: 7,775 Images: 17	If it looked good in the store, maybe it didn't have enough time to be affected by the ric or their flow and filtration is a lot better than yours? Just saying, mushrooms are infamous for their chemical warfare issues and I've had mushrooms kill other corals before and I've had ricordeas and mushrooms combat each other. Might not hurt to atleast try if you've tried everyting else, because like was mentioned, mushrooms are pretty much indestructible. HTH __________________ -Lindsay Live in the Western MD/West Virginia/DC Metro Area? Join our very active regional forum Here Like the advice someone just gave you? Add to their reputation! Click on the balance icon underneath their username and let them know.

04-09-2008, 10:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,633 Images: 12	Yeah, I've seen folks pull shrooms up and move them. Get it by the stalk and gently pull, it will release and you can place it elsewhere. If I remember correctly, you can put it on a rock with no flow and it will attach (I think). __________________ Uh-oh, I just overloaded my Bioload! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

04-07-2008, 08:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
mandown123 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 297	actually trate is closer to 10. It took longer to show up on the test, i just left the water in the tube and came back and its 10 now. Still, 10 isnt THAT bad. These mushies are really looking like theyve had a rough time. Probably wont live no matter what I do, but the others can be saved! lol

04-07-2008, 10:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
mandown123 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 297	cccapt - i thought they were indestructable too, thats why I figured it would be a great piece of rock to buy as my first non fish growth. Not the case here for some reason. I will do another PWC wednesday when I have time, I just hope they can survive that long... they dont look good. Salt is reef crystals Lighting I have a cheap T5 4x39watt, but i only have a 30 gallon 16" deep and they are at mid level. In the store they were under MH but at the wayyy bottom of a decently tall display shelf tank it is a new tank but I believe I have noticed some red coralline growth, maybe that dropped it. No crazy growth though, everything is kinda where it was when i put it in give or take. Don't know if it is noteworthy but i do have somewhat of a hair algae problem, but I think I have turned the tide of the battle.

04-09-2008, 01:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
mandown123 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 297	the ricordia is right next to one of them, but it looked good in the store and the one next to the ric is hangig on the longest so far. just tested my phosphates at somewhere between .2 and .4 (cheap kit) I put in a phos eater filter pad.water change tomorrow and then ive done all i can do.

04-09-2008, 10:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
mandown123 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 297	can i like physically remove the mushroom it self and try to plant it somewhere else? will that work? it seems so weak and helpless that i dont know that it would even take if such a thing were possible. the ricordia part that is near the other mushroom is like a little whitish on the edge. maybe it is chemical warfare, but is the poison of a ric far reaching enough to kill the mushrooms on the entire rock??? The one right next to it is lasting the longest

04-09-2008, 10:55 AM	#10 (permalink)
Devilishturtles Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Frederick, Maryland Posts: 7,775 Images: 17	Maybe. The fact that it is white indicates there is some sort of battle going on. If you can't break the rock apart (you can take the mushrooms out of water for quite a while if you need to) then a really sharp razor blade can be used to cut it off. Only problem with that is that unless you cut into the rock too, there will still be flesh of the mushroom left on the rock and a new mushroom can bud off of that. __________________ -Lindsay Live in the Western MD/West Virginia/DC Metro Area? Join our very active regional forum Here Like the advice someone just gave you? Add to their reputation! Click on the balance icon underneath their username and let them know.

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