Mushroom coral

[mosdojaf]

Looks like a few mushrooms on a rock with some polyps, have started to disapear, some have almost see through bodies? normal or not?

[Craig Manoukian]

Any carnivorous snails or coral nipping fish in your tank? Pictures would be most helpful.

[blue_eyes53813]

What do you mean polyps?What kind? May be stinging the mushrooms.

[zoomer]

With all the powerheads and the wavemaker it sounds too me that first of all you have too much current on the mushrooms. They don't really like heavy current. Also how close do you have them to the lighting? Intense light can bleach out mushrooms. Also when stressed they will release their hold on the rock. Bristleworms, crabs and things like that love to eat mushroom polyps, but would not cause the loss of color in the remaining polyps. If you have them close to the lights and in strong current, my suggestion is to move them lower in the tank and away from any dirrect current.

[zoomer]

Another quick note. You mentioned that some of the polyps are 'see through' this could because they've becomed stressed and expelled their zooxanthellae algae.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by zoomer

Another quick note. You mentioned that some of the polyps are 'see through' this could because they've becomed stressed and expelled their zooxanthellae algae.

Agreed, i.e., they've bleached. Although some may have let go of their rock as well. At this point, you can be sure there's something they don't like:

1. Light
2. Current or
3. Water quality.

We typically look first at light and flow, because shrooms are incredibly forgiving when it comes to water quality. But they'll still get pretty darned unhappy during an ammonia/nitrite spike.

They prefer low to medium light and low current. If they were recently purchased, they may have already been stressed during the collection process as well. In either case, reduce lighting and the number of hours the lights are on, reduce flow, and cheer them on from your recliner.

T