1st Coral questions... Mushroom Polyp Green Ricordea

[djmpj2]

Our tank is about a year old so we decided to add our first coral. After running it by the folks here for suggestions we decided on a very inexpensive Mushroom Polyp Green Ricordea. It is very tiny, about the size of a dime and we purchase it on a very flat piece of rock about 2 inches by 2 inches. We were instructed to place it up high on our live rock to get the best light.

Here is the question..
Our very curious snails and hermits keep climbing up there to check it out and knocking this flat piece of rock off our liverock. We are putting it in the most "secure" looking spot, but because the rock is so flat it is difficult to get it very steady. Two times we have seen the snails and hermits send it and the flat rock flying. It stays attached to the flat rock and we gently put it back up with the pincher things. Is this flying around the tank dangerous to the mushroom? It's really cool green and it glows in the dark under the moonlights. I've also seen the PPmint shrimp pecking at it.

Thanks
DJ

[djmpj2]

OK, my question has changed
Went home today at lunch to find the coral was gone off the flat rock. I thought oh, well, we tried. Next thing I notice it is on the back of our decorator crab. Ever hear of this? What should we do?

DJ

[Fluff]

Actually, that is common for that crab. I've seen many decorator crabs sporting zoo polyps, tunicates, sponges, mushrooms and even small anemones. It's their nature to "decorate" themselves to blend into their surroundings. Not much you can do really. It's the nature of the beast. I guess you could always get rid of the crab if his snitching a coral here and there is gonna be a problem.

[djmpj2]

Fluff - I LOVE your Christmas tree thing. Where’d you get it?

I don’t mind the coral on the back of the decorator crab as long as it can survive there. Thanks for letting me know it’s kinda normal.

DJ

[Fluff]

I found the avatar online last year. Just google Christmas avatars. I got tons of em".

[melosu58]

Later on if you decide to put it back on the rock you can take a thin fish line and lightly tie it over the coral back on the rock. Give it a few weeks and he should be reattached. Not that there is anything wrong with where it is.

[djmpj2]

Update:
The coral came off the back of the decor crab. It rolled around the tank like a tumbleweed. We caught it once and tried to get it to reattach back to it's rock but it wouldn't. I even put it and the rock in my net fish catcher and hung it over the tank for hours so that it was just submerged in water but no curious critters could bother it while it had time to adjust. It didn't work. I put it back in the tank and it just floated away. I think part of the problem was it was just too small. It was only the size of a pencil eraser. To small to tie on to anywhere. How big should they be when I purchase another?

DJ

[Fluff]

If you find it, place it on the rock and cover it with veil cloth or netting. I takes them longer than a few minutes/hours sometimes to attach. I don't think size is an issue for when you buy the next one. The crab isn't gonna be particular one way or another. If it looks good to him, he'll take it.

[dorian965]

shrooms tend to like low flow areas and they do take a few days to reattach. like fluff said- the veil cloth should work with the shroom if you put it in a sheltered spot away from strong current.another thing, is there any tissue left on the rock where he was connected? sometimes the tissue will form a new shroom. being so small i dought that it will happen, just for future reference. they usually dont require that much light either.
i love shrooms. best low maintenance coral you can buy.

[dorian965]

sorry, im really stupid. i didnt see the ricordia part.
they need a little more light.sorry.