Do Mushrooms Move and Shrink?

[jpc763]

Hi, I have a rock with about 15 mushrooms on it of various sizes. I have had it for a few months and it has really done well. The mushrooms grew and covered the rock almost completely.
Well last night I noticed (after the lights went out) that there is a large bare spot on the rock and the mushrooms look significantly smaller.
Do they move around on the rock?
Do they shrink at times?
Tank conditions:
Temp: 80
SG: 1.024
pH: 7.8 - I am working to bring it back up over 8.0
Amm: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
Phosphates: 0
Calcium: 460
dKh: 8
Recent Additons:
2 weeks ago
- A small zoo colony (14 polyps) about 6 inches away. This zoo colony is now 2 inches from a torch coral that I have had for a while.
- A hydnphora rigida coral which is 18 inches away and 6-8 inches from any other coral.
- A Stylophora pistillata coral that is 24 inches away and 2-3 inches from any other coral.
3 days ago
- 4 Mexican Turbo Snails
- 6 Margarita Snails
- 6 Cerith Snails
Any ideas?

 

[perfectdark]

They definatly shrink, and can stretch pretty far when they are open. If you have one footed on a piece of LR and then stretch wayy out during the day when its open it gives the appearance that its foot is located directly below it. In reality its far away from bloom, then when the lights go out and they retract and it looks as if it has moved. Other times I have had my large ones split and leave part of its self where it was when it was open looking like it has moved.

 

[paintballer768]

Mine can vary so much in a day, I know why you question it. I have a red one ATM thats opened all the way, maybe 3" across. I also have a green one thats all shrunk up. IMO dont worry too much, they just do that sometimes.
Also, mine sometimes expand in weird directions, meaning some sides expand more than the other, so it gives it an appearance that its lopsided, and I can see how you think it moved. They cant.

 

[zoie2]

mine move. At first I thought I was crazy, but looking at old photos, I can see they have moved (photos taken when shrunk both times).
Probably to get light/ water flow to their prefrence. I also had one pop off a rock, float around for a while, just to attatch itself back on the same rock!

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by zoie2
mine move. At first I thought I was crazy, but looking at old photos, I can see they have moved (photos taken when shrunk both times).
Probably to get light/ water flow to their prefrence. I also had one pop off a rock, float around for a while, just to attatch itself back on the same rock!
Im not 100% sure on their ways, but I heard that when they go to expand the colony because of a number of possible reasons, they pop off and wherever they land they attach and begin propagation like usual.

 

[gharner]

i think they move. i had a small red mushroom on a rock sitting on the bottome of my tank for a few months. then just like that it was gone. i found it the next day reattached about ten inches from its original spot. im surprised it moved and i know it wasnt just bumped loose cause it had a firm grip on that little rock haha.