newbie with a coral question

[littlereef]

Hello, my husband and I purchased a new 25 gal salt tank this summer. We have 2 chromis, 1 royal gramma, a cleaner shrimp, a pistol shrimp and antenna gobie a few snails and hermit crabs. We recently got a red mushroom, green fuzzy mushroom and green star coral. All's well we think I just have a question about our red mushroom. When we bought it , it was laying totally flat. Now it is curled a bit in the middle. Almost looks like it has 2 horns .ha! Wondering if that is normal or if it is trying to tell us something? Ive attached a picture ...any thoughts?
thanks!

 

[Phranque]

First.... Welcome to AA.

That's very good!!! Mushrooms propagate by splitting themselves as they grow, which is what your's looks like it's doing...... me thinks you're going to have two mushrooms in the not too distant future.

 

[littlereef]

Yeah! That's exciting! Can't wait to see what happens. Thanks!

 

[Spicemonkey]

How large was your mushroom before it divided? Mine are huuge like palm/hand size!! All my other corals seem to be thriving growing and dividing

 

[littlereef]

It hasn't divided yet. Its been a month and it's about the size of your palm too.

 

[Khij159753]

Some mushrooms just don't like to split. My lfs ha one that is over a foot across.

 

[Phranque]

It hasn't divided yet. Its been a month and it's about the size of your palm too.

I've got a purple bullseye rhodactis that's being stubborn as well..... it'll happen eventually.

 

[Gregcoyote]

They can get quit curly. Usually they flatten and spread out to absorb the light. They get real big when in areas of shadow. Not sure yours is dividing yet, but there isn't anything to worry about.

 

[Gboy66]

They can get quit curly. Usually they flatten and spread out to absorb the light. They get real big when in areas of shadow. Not sure yours is dividing yet, but there isn't anything to worry about.

Hey i was wondering about this with ours greg, do they shrivel up more when they are getting too much light? Does this mean the shrooms are unhappy or is that okay?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Hey i was wondering about this with ours greg, do they shrivel up more when they are getting too much light? Does this mean the shrooms are unhappy or is that okay?

I think they are very adaptable. I have hundreds of them and they even grow under rocks and peek out from below. Some grow great long stems to get into direct light. Towards the top of the reef where the light is strongest, they tend to be smaller. But they can also shrivel up for other reasons, usually not light related. In "border areas" where other corals are stopping their advance, they tend to be smaller and with more texture. For example, my green torch coral takes no prisoners and has created a dead mans zone of a couple of inches around himself. The shrooms there tend to be quite small. I have to pluck them all the time as they grow up thru my Capricornus and other hard corals, of which some seem to ignore them, but the shrooms can kill some of the others, like the caps. Shrooms should be considered moderately aggressive.

 

[Gboy66]

I think they are very adaptable. I have hundreds of them and they even grow under rocks and peek out from below. Some grow great long stems to get into direct light. Towards the top of the reef where the light is strongest, they tend to be smaller. But they can also shrivel up for other reasons, usually not light related. In "border areas" where other corals are stopping their advance, they tend to be smaller and with more texture. For example, my green torch coral takes no prisoners and has created a dead mans zone of a couple of inches around himself. The shrooms there tend to be quite small. I have to pluck them all the time as they grow up thru my Capricornus and other hard corals, of which some seem to ignore them, but the shrooms can kill some of the others, like the caps. Shrooms should be considered moderately aggressive.

Interesting! Yes, mine were in the shade and were bigger, but now they are smaller but i seem to have more of them. Oh ya, they can definitly choke out other corals eventually right?Unfortunatly, i dont have that problem

 

[Beengirl]

I think they are very adaptable. I have hundreds of them and they even grow under rocks and peek out from below. Some grow great long stems to get into direct light. Towards the top of the reef where the light is strongest, they tend to be smaller. But they can also shrivel up for other reasons, usually not light related. In "border areas" where other corals are stopping their advance, they tend to be smaller and with more texture. For example, my green torch coral takes no prisoners and has created a dead mans zone of a couple of inches around himself. The shrooms there tend to be quite small. I have to pluck them all the time as they grow up thru my Capricornus and other hard corals, of which some seem to ignore them, but the shrooms can kill some of the others, like the caps. Shrooms should be considered moderately aggressive.

Wow!! I love that red monti cap!! Beautiful!!