Will shrooms propagate without direct feeding?

[amc78cj7]

Is it necessary to target feed mushrooms if you want them to spread?

Please discuss and include frequency and type of food if making recommendations.

Thanks.

 

[CATALYST]

I don't directly feed mine. The purple ones I have are everywhere and multiply like mad. The red ones are slow. I feed the corals every 3 days to a week.

 

[elliottb]

Sorry, double post.

 

[elliottb]

Is it necessary to target feed mushrooms if you want them to spread?

Please discuss and include frequency and type of food if making recommendations.

Thanks.

Mushrooms are photosynthetic. They have a certain algae called zooxanthalae that lives within their tissue. The coral will feed off the export nutrients of this algae. You CAN feed them, but it is not necessary. I do not feed mine and they grow out of control.

 

[amc78cj7]

Mushrooms are photosynthetic. They have a certain algae called zooxanthalae that lives within their tissue. The coral will feed off the export nutrients of this algae. You CAN feed them, but it is not necessary. I do not feed mine and they grow out of control.

Thank you. I was just reading a post about nitrates being out of control after feeding his shrooms and thought "they're photosynthetic, why is he feeding them?"

 

[BigAl07]

Thank you. I was just reading a post about nitrates being out of control after feeding his shrooms and thought "they're photosynthetic, why is he feeding them?"

That's VERY common especially with "New Coral" owners. They only want the very BEST for their corals but many times inadvertently end up "polluting" the tank with over feeding. This is common with Mushrooms, Zoas and the Euphylia family (my FAVORITES coral which included FrogSpawn, Torch Coral and Hammer Coral). Sometimes these corals will accept "meaty" foods but most of the time if you're not very careful and deliberate you end up over feeding and creating a roller coaster of algae and other head aches. It's just not something you want to do until you have a very STRONG understanding of your tank and the corals in it. I'd say if it needs feeding it's a 6month plus type of coral. Meaning you need to be in the hobby 6 months or more so you understand how things work before you get out of control.

 

[sebastian]

:spinner: Al is right...shrooms is like weed..... will grow "almost" 100% hehehe, i have shrooms for 6 years and never fed them..... want some??? have way over 100 hehehe

 

[amc78cj7]

:spinner: Al is right...shrooms is like weed..... will grow "almost" 100% hehehe, i have shrooms for 6 years and never fed them..... want some??? have way over 100 hehehe

Was at the LFS last night and saw that they can grow like a weed without feeding. So I guess I should focus more on just having several variety so when they spread they make a colorful backdrop.

 

[elliottb]

:spinner: Al is right...shrooms is like weed..... will grow "almost" 100% hehehe, i have shrooms for 6 years and never fed them..... want some??? have way over 100 hehehe

what kind/s do you have?

 

[cheeks69]

Mushrooms as well as other soft corals are photosynthetic but also are able to absorb dissolved nutrients through their tissue, so target feeding isn't necessary.