mushroom coral looks like giant blob

[drummerj]

My mushroom coral looks quite strange. When i first got it, it looked great. Now, the base and the top are almost always the same size. I've read up and ive been putting phytoplankton into the tank, been doing my PWC, and it is near the bottom of the tank, with a power head blowing a little near it. All chems are in order, gravity is at 1.023

 

[afishyonados]

Are you referring to a Sarcophyton sp.?
Are you using any phosphate removing media?

 

[drummerj]

actinodiscus sp i believe! and no, no phosphate removing media.

 

[afishyonados]

Is it trumpeting, like it is reaching for the lights? It may be time to replace your tubes!

 

[drummerj]

i just got the tubes like 2-3 weeks ago, and no its really just kinda slumping to one side most of the time. Theres like a point on the side of the base that looks kinda like its being pushed out. do they ever sprout peices off of the base?

 

[afishyonados]

Yes, they do; it is called budding.

How old are your lights?

 

[melosu58]

That`s what I was going to say that it might be budding. That`s the way mine was when they multiplied.

 

[drummerj]

COOL! I just got the lights like 2 or 3 weeks ago, the rock that the mushroom is on was originally on the right of my tank, now there is another mushroom growing there. I moved the mushroom and rock to the middle of the tank for a better view/ position and it just got that way even more.

 

[melosu58]

Any way of getting us a pic. Do you know what type mushroom. Here is a pic of mine. I had one there years ago and there is over 70 of them on this rock now not counting the several rocks that were full of mushrooms that I traded in for more corals

 

[drummerj]

The pictures came out like crap, but i believe its the same type that is in the picture above. Does it take a long time for them to spread?

 

[melosu58]

I have several more of them grow every month. Just make sure of weekly PWC`s and ideal water conditions. Keep your nitrates low. Looks good

 

[drummerj]

good deal! thanks for the info guys.

 

[flanque]

I have several more of them grow every month. Just make sure of weekly PWC`s and ideal water conditions. Keep your nitrates low. Looks good

How low level can your lights be for multiplication? I have a lot in my tank and they've been opening up fine for around six months now and don't show signs of distress... I also only have 2 x 30w (one blue, one white) lights over a 55G tank.

 

[melosu58]

Mushrooms dont need much light. I have some growing under my rocks as big as baseballs. They are a low to medium light coral.

 

[flanque]

Yeah.... it's pretty neat to have something that looks so neat, be so low maintenance and low on light requirements. Are there any others that are in the same intensity requirement as them? I'd like to add just a bit of variety.

 

[melosu58]

Sun polyps are low light corals but they do need constant target feedings.

 

[drummerj]

just an update on the mushroom! the stock is totally splitting and making a new mushroom, and there is a new shroom growing where the rock that my old one was on used to be. Im pretty stoked.

 

[flanque]

Take a picture.

 

[melosu58]

Just think in about a year you`ll be taking rocks with mushrooms on them to the LFS and trading for different corals. That`s where and how I got some of mine doing trades with mushrooms to the LFS. I `m glad for you.

 

[flanque]

I've got crappy lights so I cannot do that.. Mine grow but hidiously slowly.