Mushrom corals turn brown redish color - need help.

[jasno999]

Mushrom corals turn brown redish color - need help.

Ok here is the problem. This has now happend 2 times where I have purchased green mushroom corals at the store and after being in my tank for 1-2 weeks the corals have bsically turned a brownish color that has a little bit of red to it.

I have no idea what is going on and I am tryign to figure out what the heck is causing this. I am looking for input from everybody as to why thsi would happen.

Details:

At the store the tank had a halogen light over the corals that they prbably move daily or weekly. SO the coral was not directly under this light but was reciving that light on a angle. (store is called thatpetplace)

My tank is a small 10 gallon tank that has a 96W powerquad light on it with a 50/50 floursent bulb on it. I am currently running a phosban reacto with phosphate remove in it so my phosphate levels are low. I have a high nutriuent load because I have not done water changes as often as I should be. I will be doign them more often in the near future. Other than that my other levels are within acceptable limits....

Looking for advice/input.

 

[Anonymous]

They still got that big shark head over the door? Thats a BIG place.. - Not the best quality of livestock (at least, not back in early to mid '90's - maybe its changed) but a cool place if for no other reason than its size anyway.

My guess is the light they're using is more likely a metal halide, not halogen but who knows.... - And light could very well be the key reason you're seeing a change too.

How far above the surface of the tank is your light suspended? - Where are the shrooms placed in your tank?

Shrooms are generally a low light creature though depending on what they REALLY are, that could change things dramatically.. - ("Shrooms" is generic and when it comes to "green" theres actually a big difference in what species it might actually be..)

For instance...

Is a low light "shroom"....

Whereas.....

Is a high light "shroom"


The second one is more commonly considered a "ric" or Ricordia whereas the first one is a Actinodiscus (or maybe Discosoma?) and more commonly considered a "shroom".

The second (Ricordia) is sometimes commonly called a "shroom" as well - this is where common names can cause a lot of confusion..


Anyway........ - If you can share a pic of your setup that would probably help a bit.. - It'd give us some idea of how things are setup and a little bit better idea of just what type of animal(s) you have.


Also, if you're near Philly I think there are some others here (and I can dig around too) that can give you tips on some other shops in the area. - Last I knew, thatpetplace / thatfishplace was closer to Lancaster..

 

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking lower light is the issue here too, but a picture or accurate description of the 'shroom would be great.

 

[jasno999]

UPDATE

Ok I did a full tank change- meaning I pulled out all the LF and coral and put it in a new 10 gallon tank with new sand. So my water quality should be great.

Thinking more about my lights I am still a bit confused. I am actually starting to beleive the opposite of what some have said. I think I have too much lighting in my tank. I have a 96W bulb with 2 10K tubes and 2 Atnic tubes. So with that wattage over a 10 gallon tank and that amount of atnic the corals should be gettign more than enough light and more than enough in the atnic range.

So I am starting to htink that the mushrooms are losing coor because the lights are too intense.... What do you guys think?

 

[Ben1]

Good luck with the issue. I would be catious with moving a whole tank over like that. In anycase if you bought the shrooms from TPP's large acrylic coral vat it has halides on light movers that go back and forth all day. The other tanks are mainly lit by NO tubes.

The lighting on the tank on the left by the acro tank in the back is lit by heavy actinics and 20k halides. If you buy coral from that tank it always looks different unless you also run a very very blue tank.

I go there on occasion but its about a 1 hour drive for me, where in PA are you? I am from Paoli and although very limiting at times on stock I perfer The frazer zoo. Mike that runs TFZ is a good guy that really looks out for his customers and gets some gems in time to time.

 

[jasno999]

I actualyl live in king of prussia. I got the goral from the tank that has the lights that move back and forth. So they are not gettign intense MH light constantly and those lights are pretty high from the coral. Still I think I have too much lighting....

I have been to the frazier zoo but truthfully I don't like Mike all that much. Every time I go in there he seems to ignore me. Nto on purpose but he will chat with other known customers and what not but even when I have wanted to make a purchase I could never get his attention.

I am not sayign he is a bad guy or anyhting just not good service to me. I have actually found a new place I like that is in norristown. It is called captin nemos. They have a larger and better selection at better prices. (Frazier zoo seems to be the most expensive place I have seen).

Hey if you have any corals you would be willign to frag for me at a good price I would defienitly be interested.

Drop me an e-mail at Jason_Crandall@Hotmail.com

 

[Ben1]

Well Mike can be that way sometimes. He is the only one that works that fish room and gets lots of silly customers. I was there the other day and someone needed something for a project at school, he told them to jsut use earthworms and they asked him "But where can I find earthworms?" After they left he turns to me and goes "I felt like saying lady have you ever been outdoors?" I thought it was funny. Mikes a good guy once you get to know him he will go out of his way for you. He also has different prices for different customers which may seem strange...Idk.

I have never been to captain nemos Ill have to go check it out. I have some frags right now, mostly millis and acans but not sure I want to let them go yet. They need some time to fill out a bit first, most of my stuff I am still letting grow out. I just fragged my Nuclear green palys and some blueish palys too, but again they need some time. When all the stuff is ready Ill shoot ya email.

 

[Anonymous]

Captain Nemo's huh??

Wow..

8O 8O 8O

If you happen to remember, would you mind asking how long they've been there..??

If I'm thinking of the right place, it used to look like someone's house (like a pale yellow color, parking in the back) that was converted into a store. Livestock on the 1st floor and tanks/stands on the 2nd.. - That sound right??

If so, his shop is actually where I first got into marine from freshwater back around '92 or so..

Amazing how things change sometimes.

 

[jasno999]

Ben - Please let me know when your frags are big enough for you to feel comfortable with parting with them. Jsut drop me an e-mail.

GratefulDiver - Captin Nemos is a very big place. Much larger than frazier zoo. The guy said they have been open for about a year now. The place is very clean, good service, and the setup is awsome. Definitly go check it out.

 

[Ben1]

I think GD isnt in this area anymore. I checked out nemos website and it seems they used to me called Big Als. Atleast they have some link on their website about some news station that came in and they kept calling it Big Als, maybe they went through a change.

I also hear good things about east coast aquatics and have never been in. I did go to the new hidden reef location a few times recently and although they have a nice big store the live stock doesnt seem that great. I may need to stop in closer to their delivery days though. I think i am going to go up and check out nemos on friday since I am off work.