My mushrooms are disappearing!

[maryc137]

We have one rock that was covered in mushrooms about 3 months ago. I do test the water and everything is in good shape. All other corals are doing wonderful. Anyway, this one mushroom rock is getting bare. Don't know where the mushrooms are going? Is it natural for them to just be shrinking, or dying off like a flower?

 

[teetee]

How bright is your lighting and how strong is the current around that rock? As a rule shrooms do not like strong light or water current. If unhappy, a shroom will simply detatch itself and relocate. They could be hiding under a rock somewhere in your set-up. My shrooms go through 'mood' swings where sometimes they shrivel up somewhat, but always bounce back up.

 

[krusk]

This may help you to identify the problem
Sally Light crab, do you have any in your tank?
Pepermint Shrimp, do you have any in your tank?
I have see the Sally and Perpermint killed and eat my Mushrooms
You will not see them eating the mushroom in the day, but at night when the lights are out wait for 30 min and get the flash-light point to those mushrooms(If you still have some left) you will find out who are destroying you mushroom.
I have lost 3 mushroom (2-3 inches) before I can know what cause the lost. Other coral are growing fine right? and the placement of your musroom rock is somewhere in the bottom of the tank if you have strong lighting.

 

[keitho]

well, if they are just missing, then they are moving to a more suitable location in your tank. if, on the other hand, they are turning a bleached white, then they are definitely dying. it pays to do a little research and see what area of the world the water conditions in your tank most closely resemble, then pick and choose mushrooms accordingly. the reason i say this is my tank conditions resemble the waters around Fiji. striped mushrooms, which are from that area do well in my tank, but i just can't keep green mosaic mushrooms alive. as it turns out, green mosaic mushrooms are not from that area of the world and apparently don't like my water conditions

 

[maryc137]

Mary again. I have a 137 gallon tank, lots of current, maybe too much. I run 4 big PH and then have a powerful return from the sump. I have 440 watts of VHO. Is that too much light? Should I try to place the mushrooms in a more shaded area? Also, I don't have a Sally Lightfoot for any peppermint shrimp. Only one coral banded and a couple cleaners. They never even look at the mushrooms

 

[krusk]

I don't think 440 watts of VHO light is alot for 125 G tank
although, you may want to place mushroom in the bottom of the reef