Red Mushroom Polyps

[reefntear]

Hello everyone. I have a 12Gal Eclipse setup. I bought a red mushroom frag 1month ago. I have noticed that the red in the mushrooms has faded and turned a white green color. They have also become smaller in size then I remember. Is there anything That I can do to change them back or are they supposed to turn color like that?? Any help is better then no help. I have tested the calcium and its around 400 the strontinum level (SP?) is good as well as iodide levels. I have been feeding them Phytoplankton everyother day. I just dont know anything else to do.....

 

[dragonzim]

Bump for a friend of mine...
What type of lights do you have on the tank? Is it the standard fluorescents that come with the Eclipse? Those should be enough to to keep mushrooms. If you want, I have a ton of red shrooms and can give you some to see if you maybe got a frag that was already on it's way out.

 

[reefntear]

The lights are the standard flourescent one that came with it. I have been looking for an upgrade but to no avail. I will take you up on your offer though!.. Very dissapointed with this 59$ peice. was beautiful... its a shame...My fish seem happy!!

 

[peef]

Wait a minute, you were charged 59 bucks for a red mushroom frag???

 

[hogs]

Originally Posted by peef
Wait a minute, you were charged 59 bucks for a red mushroom frag???
I think he meant the Eclipse.

 

[cpbirds407]

It sound to me that its not getting enoug light. First of all, try to place it higher in the tank. Second change the light bulb to a new one 50/50.
Corals have zoozantellae which its a type of algae that lives on top (or skin) of the coral (mushroom in this case) and thas what gives it the color (and feeds them with nutrients). If it doesn't get enough light, the coral looses it and it bleaches into a very light color. I don't think it's gonna die but if you don't act quick it will take a while to get the color back. Also you must feed it because by not having the zoozantellae, it will not have anything to feed of. This is my opinion on what I think its happening with your mushroom. I love mushroom and I protect everyone of them like gold!!!
Hope it helps.

 

[flricordia]

Originally Posted by REEFnTEar
The lights are the standard flourescent one that came with it. I have been looking for an upgrade but to no avail. I will take you up on your offer though!.. Very dissapointed with this 59$ peice. was beautiful... its a shame...My fish seem happy!!
It really is not the shrooms that you should be dissapointed in. They need good lighting and a month is a long time to not have it. The eclipse tanks are only good for bettas and goldfish, maybe some algae. But as cpbirds407 suggested, try a 50/50 and move them up higher till you can get a better set-up going. Do some research on the care of corals before getting anymore.
see this thread and get with phelpz on where he got his lighting upgrade
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/288531/ballast-hood-help-or-ideas-it-aint-workin-out

 

[petjunkie]

Basically you don't have enough light, corals will bleach if not given enough light or too much. Without upgrading your lighting (hard on an eclipse) the shroom is just going to shrink more and more until it disappears. Do you know what kind of mushroom it was? Rics and Yumas are more difficult than the rhodactis, discoma and antinodiscus. If you ever decide to upgrade tanks we can advise on good lighting for it but honestly your current setup isn't made for saltwater, wrong filtration and lighting.