Mushrooms not like they used to be!!!

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Richard

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
24
Location
Miami, FL
My mushrooms used to open up very large when my lights would come on, and shrink back to a smaller size when lights were off. I'v had them for about 3 weeks now. About a few days ago they have seemed to shrivel up with a mushy appearance. Only a couple of them open up now and no where near the size they used to. Water parameters are all good. Is there a life expectancy for these mushrooms or are they multiplying, maybe? I am enclosing a before and after pic.
Thanks,
 
Have you added other corals to your tank? Could be chemical warfare.

"Water parameters are good" is subjective. Can you list the values of the various parameters you tested?

I had these two varieties for several years and then they slowly melted away. The pink ones are long gone, a few blue ones are still around. It could have been too much competition for food, chemical attack by other more aggressive corals/mushrooms/etc. I never pinned it down. Other mushrooms thrive but they are "bumpier", not smooth like these. The blue ones actually began to take over my tank for a while. The pink ones always preferred low light, low flow. Perhaps you have them too high in your tank. Try moving them under a rock shelf.

They are not multiplying, they are not healthy. I believe these multiply by pedal laceration whereby you will see young ones appear near the base of larger ones. I never saw them actually split like larger hairy mushrooms.

Good luck,
Mark
 
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