Bubbles at base of mushroom coral 9/11.5/11 What an awesome amount of information you have here! I tried searching and found only one response from a number of years ago but it didn't seem to really tell what/why. This isn't so much a problem, but more of a query. I received this mushroom nearly a month ago and after taking a while to 'grab' on the frag plug I put it on my mushroom wall. At some point I noticed that at night the foot would swell out with these bubbles around the base. It seems to get happier by the day opening up bigger and bigger, but at night it recedes and the bubbles get big. Any explanation of what this is or why it happens? <Usually something in the way of incompatibility... another Cnidarian species... or summat w/ water quality...> Tank has been up for 4 months, parameters: System volume: 150g across a 75g DT, 2 refugiums, and a sump, system has about 200lbs of live rock and lots of macro algae Temps: 71-73F (will be a seahorse devoted system) <Mmm, a bit low> salinity: 1.023 <This too> Ammonia: 0 Nitrates: 0 <Uh, need some NO3... whatever means you're employing to keep this at 0.0 ppm may be at root here> pH: 8.0 Alkalinity: 7 (those are both a little low, but stable) http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t206/armorbimbo/IMAG0618.jpg <Oh, starved... Bob Fenner> -Sean

Shrooms. They are just not growing - 10/06/2009
Crew:
<Hey Thomas! JustinN here!>
I have read and read over the site... over and over again. I love it! I looked through all your articles and FAQ on Mushrooms, Corallimorphs and Cnidarians. Good info...
BUT! I can't figure out what's going on with my Shrooms. They are just not growing.
I have had them in the tank for almost 2 years. I currently have them placed up high, down low, in shade, in full light trying to figure out what they like best. None of them seem to be responding super well.
<Are you/have you tried target feeding them? All the Corallimorphs I've had in my care over the years liked something nice and meaty fed to them periodically -- one of my mushrooms has even decided it likes New Life Spectrum pellets!>
My question is could there possibly be a nitrogen deficiency/over-competition?
<Deficiency? Your goal is to eliminate the components of the Nitrogen cycle, so not likely.>
My nitrates always test undetectable.
<This is a good thing>
I can't seem to figure out why the "easiest" inverts are giving me the most trouble. Here's the scoop on my set-up:
The tank has been running over five years, and has been a "reef tank" for over two. I have always used RO/DI water and Seachem Reef Salt.
<A quality product>
The corals:
Pulsing xenia - doing so well that I almost regret adding it
<They are a bit like a mesmerizing weed, aren't they! :)>
Green star polyps - doing super well
Halimeda - just popped up one day, now it's growing everywhere
<And this is why I love live rock ;)>
Assorted Zoas - doing okay for being under PC's
Red, green striped, green spotted and blue mushrooms
Hammer coral - not growing much, but looks good
The fish:
One Royal Gramma
Two Ocellaris clowns
Two Yellowtail damsels
One Firefish
One Mandarin
One hermit crab
<Sustainability of the Mandarin is questionable -- these consummate 'pod consumers will clean your tank out in no time.>
The set-up:
70 gallon show tank, 60"x22"x12"
100 lbs Fiji and Caribbean live rock
80 lbs live sand
322 watt PC's with half actinic (420nm) and half daylight (10,000k),
replace bulbs annually
<Sounds good to here>
BioWheel 350 with carbon in usually in use
Proquatics 300gph HOT filter filled with coarse foam (great for pods)
Three 150 GPH powerheads
Prizm pro Delux skimmer
<Your BioWheels may be creating/generating more nitrates/nitrites than you know, as this is part of their design -- they're not typically optimal in a reef setup. The skimmer is definitely undersized -- Prizm's are really only 'effective' for about a 40 gallon or so total volume -- and even then, their efficacy is questionable.>
The parameters:
SG 1.025
PH 8.3
Calcium 450ppm
Alk 8-9 dKH
Mag 1350ppm
temp 79 degrees F
Nitrate 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Phosphate 0ppm
<Sounds like it should be -- are you certain of these nitrate/nitrite readings? What brand test kits are you using?>
The routine:
12 gallon (18%) water change every 2 weeks
Top off with RO/DI water, with Seachem reef builder/calcium (on separate days) as needed.
<Is the Reef Builder/calc just added arbitrarily, or based off of a system that involves measurements?>
Is something standing out to you here? It seems normal to me... but then again I'm not the pro...
Thanks for your help!
Sincerely,
Thomas Brown
<For the most part, I would agree, this sounds very normal configuration-wise -- my main thoughts are your bio-media filtration (BioWheel, filter floss in your Proquatics HOT), and a lack of direct feeding. Try giving the mushrooms a nice blast of Mysis shrimp with a small pipette, this may be the missing key here. Good luck! -JustinN>
Re: Corallimorph Growth - 10/06/2009 <I remembered, Bob! ;)>>Yay! RMF<
<Hey again Thomas! JustinN again! I cleaned up your responses a bit here, to conform to the standards.. I hope you don't mind!>
I use Phytoplex, coral excel, and Zooplex, each individually about twice a week
<All decent products, but not what your Corallimorphs are after. Move to some mysis and/or a copepod-based food, such as Cyclop-Eeze. These are going to benefit your mushrooms greatly, you should notice a difference quickly.>
He's (the mandarin) been in there almost two years, he's always nice 'n fat too...
<Well, this is excellent -- definitely not the typical end result. Good hands on your part :)>
Should I upgrade to a Remora w/ a MJ1200?
<Would be a worthy upgrade -- definitely far more effective than the Prism.. Do keep in mind, I wouldn't call this essential, since your tank is clearly quite stable -- a 2 year run for a Mandarin is not typical.>
I'm using Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kits
<I would recommend trying some of the higher quality brands, such as Salifert -- might get differing results from current.>
I measure to maintain calc @450ppm, KH @8-9dKH which typically maintains my pH @8.3
<Sounds good here -- I've just known too many people who come up with some arbitrary number, and add this arbitrary number blindly on a timed basis...
not always a good plan :)>
I'll try feeding mysis... (keeping the fish from getting them will be the trick!)
<The fish will definitely be getting some -- my usual technique is to feed the fish sporadically while I feed the corals. A small pipette helps immensely with this, allows you to slowly provide the meaty food to the
mushroom. After a few feedings, they'll get more used to it, and will typically start wrapping up a bit as soon as you bring the pipette near -- it gets easier with time. Good luck! -JustinN>

Giant Cup Mushroom Losing Flesh 2/27/08 Hi Crew, <Hi Mohamed> I am asking this question for a friend. She has a giant cup for 4 years with on <going> problems. The water quality is within range, no high levels of nitrate, nitrite, etc. but she unsure of iodine levels and water changes are done regularly. <Wouldn't worry too much about iodine levels, regular water changes with a good reef salt should provide all that is necessary. I've supplemented with iodine (Lugo's solution) in the past and have not seen any benefit in it's use.> The giant cup does not open up completely and if you wave your hand next to the GC its flesh is peeling. Could a low level of iodine cause this or what could cause this, a disease? <The Giant Cup Mushroom is a meat eater and I'm wondering if it has been fed small pieces of shrimp etc. A healthy specimen should close/wrap completely around the food. As far as lighting, they do require medium intensity light to survive. You did not mention lighting being used.> Thanks, <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Mohamed

- Mushrooms Fed and then Died 6/15/06 - Sorry, I have never posted before and I REALLY hope I am doing this correctly. <No worries.> I bought a BEAUTIFUL rock of chromes some months ago. It was healthy and happy, very open and thriving. It is in the tank next to a rock heavy with green hairy mushrooms. They have both been doing fine, actually the green ones are about a year old and have done really well. A few days ago my husband felt the need to target feed them because he was CONVINCED it was the right thing to do for them since I have NEVER EVER fed them. I run a fuge and feed the fish everyday and they always seem to catch a little of their food every once and a while. They always looked happy so I figured, if it isn't broke DON'T fix it. He is an engineer so he ALWAYS knows a better way... Anyway, he fed them Cyclop-eeze mixed with tank water through a tube feeder direct in the middle of each mushroom. They immediately closed up like they were eating so he thought it was what they needed and did it again the following day. They reacted the same way as the day before. Then when wok up on morning three, both rocks inhabitants seemed to start just melting away. Now one rock is completely empty and the green ones are not far behind... Is this happening because he OVERFED them? <It certainly sounds that way but it's difficult to know with absolute certainty. That being said, it would be unusual for food alone to kill a mushroom. Perhaps cross contamination from the feeder device.> If they were doing fine with what I was doing, should I just continue to care for mushrooms in this fashion??? <Mushrooms need little direct attention and often do better with none at all... so, stick with your methodology and tell your husband to keep his feeder to himself.> Thanks Danielle <Cheers, J -- >