fluorescent green mushrooms - just kinda...there

[malkore]

40gallon breeder tank - 2x96watt PC lighting, 10k and Actinic03 bulbs.

My yellow polyps are doing great. multiplying, and have grown much larger.
My green mushrooms, however, just seem stagnant. They are placed low in the tank, and don't get too much current, nor are they in 'dead' water. But they just aren't spreading at all.

I know I have enough light. My calcium and alk tend to be a little on the low side, though i've been working to increase both and keep them in balance. I typcially perform a 5 gallon water change every 10 days.
CPR skimmer, no ammonia, nitrite and less than 5ppm nitrates, and phosphates are undetectable.

Not usign any other additives (like iodine, strontium, or any of those Kent 'coral vitamins')

I'd like to get some other shroom types, or a leather coral, but I feel I need to get these current shrooms in a happier state first.

This might sound like an overly simplified response but I've found that many types of budding species will stagnate if on a flat/level surface or already at the "peak" of a given base. I will often find angling the base piece so the coral is near the bottom of that piece and can spread upward often does the trick.

If disturbed to often by other animals, it will also lessen their need to progress. Water chem for the most part will have little affect on softies unless way off.

Cheers
Steve

[steve r]

interesting answer steve-s. i have noticed that in my tank. the mushrooms on the sand are just there. they look good, just not growing. three ricordia and rock full of striped mushrooms that are all on angled surfaces are all growing really well. same with some star polyps at an angle, but zoos that are flat are hardly growing at all.

steve r

[malkore]

Here's an interesting followup question: how sensitive are shrooms to being touched by, say, a large brittle star? I have one that lives under the rock that my shrooms are next too, and often his arms brush the shrooms. could this be irritating them into not spreading?

If the star was continually extending it's arms to capture sediment from the water column then yes, it would definately hinder the shrooms.

Cheers
Steve