mushroom corals that are overtaking the tank

[Keith A.]

I have several mushroom corals that are overtaking the tank and it's time to get rid of them becasue they are killing other corals. I've tried many ways to control or kill them and I haven't had much luck. I've tried cutting them and growing them on other rocks to sell but I usually end up butchering the mushroom. Ideally, I'd take the live rock to a LFS and try to trade for new rock without mushrooms, but I really like the rockscape I have now and the LFS didn't sound too enthused about taking THAT much rock and mushrooms. I thought I'd put the rock in fresh water with no light, heat, or current to kill off the mushrooms. Approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of my rocks overgrown with mushrooms and would like to do them all at once if possible. My questions are:
1) How long should I leave them in freshwater to kill off the mushrooms?
2) Would I have to "re-cure" the rock afterwards?
3) How long could I keep that much rock out of the display tank without throwing the water chemistry and biofilter off in the tank to where it would harm the things I want to keep?
3a) Would I need to do more regular water changes to make up for the
reduction in LR and biofilter?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[melosu58]

I`ve heard taking an old credit card and trying to scrape it off the rock will work.

 

[Bige]

Do you have a lfs that would give credit for your rock and mushrooms. Then you could get credit for more live rock and then you dont kill the mushrooms.

 

[Keith A.]

Yes, I asked about both cash and credit for the rocks. They already had several rocks with mushrooms on them and didn't feel the need for more. I've tried to scrape them off with a scraper and even a wire brush and they still came back.

 

[mr_X]

you can kalk paste them. kill them off like aptasia.

 

[Keith A.]

I tried Joe's Juice (I think it's the same as kalk paste). Unless I did it wrong, it didn't phase them. It looked like they spit it out.

 

[mr_X]

hmm...i have never tried joes juice, but i have use kalkwasser paste on many occasions. i have never seen a coral or pest anemone live through a nice dose of it.
mushrooms will grow back if there is just a little tiny bit of it remaining, so what i would suggest is to scrape off the shroom and put the kalk paste on the remaining stump.

 

[julmaro]

Mushrooms

I had the same problem until my mushrooms began to shrink and really I miss them now. I don't know what happened to them. Water parameters are fine with no phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, temp. etc. Other corals are doing fine, maybe they are just too old and need to be replaced. What I can't find any longer is a product made in Germany called "essential elements" that made the mushrooms grow wild. If any one remembers this product I will be must glad. Thanks.

 

[julmaro]

Mushrooms

Never mind..the product comes from Tropic Marin.

 

[Keith A.]

So kalkwasser paste is not the same as Joe's Juice?

 

[mr_X]

i have never tried joes juice so i can't tell you for sure, but people who have said it may be the same thing.

 

[Keith A.]

OK. I'll give that a shot. By the way, just as an update. The mushrooms have been in unsalted water with no heat, light or current for two weeks now. They still look like I just took them out of the display tank. They haven't shrunk changed color or ANYTHING...

 

[ChizerBunoi]

That is definetely one of the hardest corals I have ever heard of. I heard of someone taking a mushroom and throwing it in the blender, they then dumped it into their frag tank and hundreds of mushrooms grew from that one mushroom. I can see your on going challenge.

 

[Soundtrigger]

Get a razor carefully scrape and frag those suckers put em online sell them heck give em away lots of people would love to have Mushrooms so what if it's invasive mushroom..... if u can't frag ask someone that knows how to if they can show you or you could sell the biggest rock of mushrooms

 

[Soundtrigger]

Oh forgot I've did this b4 u can try it ( keep in mind this was years ago but still prob will help) I surrounded the mushrooms with coral that have a stronger sting it really keep them in check

 

[Jaybird]

You put the mushrooms in freshwater for two weeks and they didn't die? I find that difficult to believe. Normally they would have died very quickly if left in freshwater.

Joe's Juice is a type of kalkwasser. I don't believe that there is much difference between Joe's Juice and AiptasiaX. I am kind of the opposite of Mr_X as I have only used Joe's Juice but have never used AiptasiaX. I can attest that Joe's Juice will take down anything that it is put on: aiptasia, majano, colonial hydroix, pulsating xenia (if it's large you will need multiple applications)

 

[iDream]

hmm jaybird my aiptasiaX did nothing to my xenia but make it a bit unhappy, though i wasnt trying to kill it