Mushroom help!
- Thread starter cmbkml
- Start date
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522463
Our mushroom doesn't look well... Please help... The pics our in our photo album... The last two are what it looks like now... Is it ok?
Hi,
Okay...found your album. Mushrooms are hardy corals, and they close up at night, or if they are feeding. If all the other corals are happy, I wouldn't worry much. Perhaps the coral is down steam from another more aggressive coral. Running some carbon in your filter should prevent any chemical warfare.
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522463
Our mushroom doesn't look well... Please help... The pics our in our photo album... The last two are what it looks like now... Is it ok?
Hi,
Okay...found your album. Mushrooms are hardy corals, and they close up at night, or if they are feeding. If all the other corals are happy, I wouldn't worry much. Perhaps the coral is down steam from another more aggressive coral. Running some carbon in your filter should prevent any chemical warfare.
cmbkml
New Member
Everything else looks very healthy and we checked our water... The nitrates are up a little between 40-80, amonia is .25 and nitrites are 0... We did notice that the peppermint shrimp pick on that mushroom and will "nibble" it... We lost one mushroom to our pistol shrimp already... Just don't seem to have the touch for them. We have moved it to a new location but it just seems to be getting smaller And smaller.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522496
Everything else looks very healthy and we checked our water... The nitrates are up a little between 40-80, amonia is .25 and nitrites are 0... We did notice that the peppermint shrimp pick on that mushroom and will "nibble" it... We lost one mushroom to our pistol shrimp already... Just don't seem to have the touch for them. We have moved it to a new location but it just seems to be getting smaller And smaller.
Hi,
40 nitrates will kill your shrimp and all your other inverts such as snails or hermits, and I doubt all of your corals are doing fine with a NO3 level as high as you report. Are you using an API test kit? They are known for incorrect readings on nitrates. NO3 should stay below 20 and 0 if you want healthy coral....Fish don't seem to be bothered by high nitrates.
You should not have any ammonia at all.
A peppermint shrimp shouldn't bother the mushroom, but will feed on any dead flesh on the coral. That really doesn't mean much...Hippo tangs are as reef safe as you can get, and I had one that ate my Xenia. Some critters just do their own thing.
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522496
Everything else looks very healthy and we checked our water... The nitrates are up a little between 40-80, amonia is .25 and nitrites are 0... We did notice that the peppermint shrimp pick on that mushroom and will "nibble" it... We lost one mushroom to our pistol shrimp already... Just don't seem to have the touch for them. We have moved it to a new location but it just seems to be getting smaller And smaller.
Hi,
40 nitrates will kill your shrimp and all your other inverts such as snails or hermits, and I doubt all of your corals are doing fine with a NO3 level as high as you report. Are you using an API test kit? They are known for incorrect readings on nitrates. NO3 should stay below 20 and 0 if you want healthy coral....Fish don't seem to be bothered by high nitrates.
You should not have any ammonia at all.
A peppermint shrimp shouldn't bother the mushroom, but will feed on any dead flesh on the coral. That really doesn't mean much...Hippo tangs are as reef safe as you can get, and I had one that ate my Xenia. Some critters just do their own thing.
cmbkml
New Member
Yes it is an api test kit... This is the first time its been up in a while... We take our water to our lfs once and a while and last week when we did all was good... We just haven't gotten there this week since our water change since it is a small drive away. Thinking a trip to the lfs is in need... We just switched salts as well with this water change to the salinity reef salt... What test kit would you recommend?
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522499
Yes it is an api test kit... This is the first time its been up in a while... We take our water to our lfs once and a while and last week when we did all was good... We just haven't gotten there this week since our water change since it is a small drive away. Thinking a trip to the lfs is in need... We just switched salts as well with this water change to the salinity reef salt... What test kit would you recommend?
Hi...I order my kit on-line because stores don't carry much of a choice, and one store (*****) had 5 kits on the shelf, but they were too old already to be good anymore, every one of them were expired. I think having your own test kits is a must...
LOL, I don't trust the LFS kids to know anything either.
Years ago when I first started, I once watched a young man do a test that required a little shake after each drop...He just dripped the drops one after another. When I called him on it he said it didn't matter. I'm afraid I strongly disagree and couldn't trust his results, when I did my own test at home that same day, with a kit I purchased at that store, same brand the guy used.... he was indeed way off on the reading he gave me.
I use the SeaChem multi kits, they come with a regent so you can double check for accuracy, and it needs very little tank water for the tests.
The easiest to read test kit are the Instant Ocean master kits. They have a plastic tile that sits next to the test vile to see the true color readings. I think that is much more accurate to read then what the manufacturer's printer pushes out, who knows how full the printers ink is (I used API for years). I purchased several kits of the same brand, and each card was just a tiny bit different on the reading card. Each reading is already hard to distinguish between variants. Anyway the reason I don't use that kit, is because 99% of the time I can't find the kits in stock, so I purchase another brand, and no longer need it when it is back in stock...
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522499
Yes it is an api test kit... This is the first time its been up in a while... We take our water to our lfs once and a while and last week when we did all was good... We just haven't gotten there this week since our water change since it is a small drive away. Thinking a trip to the lfs is in need... We just switched salts as well with this water change to the salinity reef salt... What test kit would you recommend?
Hi...I order my kit on-line because stores don't carry much of a choice, and one store (*****) had 5 kits on the shelf, but they were too old already to be good anymore, every one of them were expired. I think having your own test kits is a must...
LOL, I don't trust the LFS kids to know anything either.
Years ago when I first started, I once watched a young man do a test that required a little shake after each drop...He just dripped the drops one after another. When I called him on it he said it didn't matter. I'm afraid I strongly disagree and couldn't trust his results, when I did my own test at home that same day, with a kit I purchased at that store, same brand the guy used.... he was indeed way off on the reading he gave me.
I use the SeaChem multi kits, they come with a regent so you can double check for accuracy, and it needs very little tank water for the tests.
The easiest to read test kit are the Instant Ocean master kits. They have a plastic tile that sits next to the test vile to see the true color readings. I think that is much more accurate to read then what the manufacturer's printer pushes out, who knows how full the printers ink is (I used API for years). I purchased several kits of the same brand, and each card was just a tiny bit different on the reading card. Each reading is already hard to distinguish between variants. Anyway the reason I don't use that kit, is because 99% of the time I can't find the kits in stock, so I purchase another brand, and no longer need it when it is back in stock...
cmbkml
New Member
Okay, so we have done 3 water changes of 10% each and our nitrates are still up between 40 and 80... the mushroom is still shrinking and pretty sure it is dead. We witnessed one of our peppermint shrimps "picking" at our brain coral and now his mouth is open with long white tentacles hanging out of it... is he dead now too? Our shrimp seem to be havoc on our corals... not to mention our pom pom has gone missing as well... We think we got a little over excited and added too many at once but everything is open and seems to be doing well with the exception of the mushroom and now this guy after the shrimp got to him.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522602
Okay, so we have done 3 water changes of 10% each and our nitrates are still up between 40 and 80... the mushroom is still shrinking and pretty sure it is dead. We witnessed one of our peppermint shrimps "picking" at our brain coral and now his mouth is open with long white tentacles hanging out of it... is he dead now too? Our shrimp seem to be havoc on our corals... not to mention our pom pom has gone missing as well... We think we got a little over excited and added too many at once but everything is open and seems to be doing well with the exception of the mushroom and now this guy after the shrimp got to him.
Friend,
If your nitrates are really 80, your shrimp would be dead. Anything above 40 nitrates is death to them...and that goes double for the corals. A mushroom isn't dead until the thing melts into nothing and disappears. If there is anything at all left of it...it can sprout new and grow. I suspect chemical warfare between the corals...have you tried running carbon?
The shrimp is only eating the dead flesh off of the brain coral. They are sensitive to any change. The switch to another salt could be the blame, and if any chemical warfare is going on, it is being affected as well.
Originally Posted by cmbkml http:///t/395613/mushroom-help#post_3522602
Okay, so we have done 3 water changes of 10% each and our nitrates are still up between 40 and 80... the mushroom is still shrinking and pretty sure it is dead. We witnessed one of our peppermint shrimps "picking" at our brain coral and now his mouth is open with long white tentacles hanging out of it... is he dead now too? Our shrimp seem to be havoc on our corals... not to mention our pom pom has gone missing as well... We think we got a little over excited and added too many at once but everything is open and seems to be doing well with the exception of the mushroom and now this guy after the shrimp got to him.
Friend,
If your nitrates are really 80, your shrimp would be dead. Anything above 40 nitrates is death to them...and that goes double for the corals. A mushroom isn't dead until the thing melts into nothing and disappears. If there is anything at all left of it...it can sprout new and grow. I suspect chemical warfare between the corals...have you tried running carbon?
The shrimp is only eating the dead flesh off of the brain coral. They are sensitive to any change. The switch to another salt could be the blame, and if any chemical warfare is going on, it is being affected as well.
cmbkml
New Member
Thank you for all your help! Today everything looks a whole lot better... Still hoping the mushroom perks up but we moved it to a new location with less light and flow. We put the chemi-pure elite carbon in on the last water change. And all is eating and loving it... We even saw the pom pom crab today. New tank anxieties can be the pits but it seems as all is well and maybe just a bad nitrate test kit. Will look into a different brand... We also have to get the alkalinity and calcium tests and whatever else for the corals. Thanks again... You are always very helpful and reassuring 