Whats eating my shroom

[chasesng]

Got a lovely large shroom that had grown to 3 inches in diameter but is now showing signs of what looks like something eating it. Upper rite corner of shroom is missing a couple of chunks. Damage seems to have stopped but shroom doesnt seem happy and seldom spreads out any more. Other shrooms in tank are showing no signs of problem.

Shroom is located about 1-2 inch below my frogspawn on the same rock. Is it possible that fs is stinging and thats the cause of damage?

And if so, can you dislodge a shroom? It seems pretty well stuck. I suppose fs would be easier to relocate but its hosting my perc and seems a shame to move them to a new neighborhood.

 

[marrone]

If it's missing a couple of chunks some thing is probably eating it, like a crab or a fish. Mushrooms are very hardy and it probably just needs some time before it will open out again.

 

[ezee]

chase,

What else is in the tank and how much are you feeding?

E

 

[simike]

the frogspawn is most likly stinging it, it has sweeper tenticles that can reach several inches and sting stuff. happenes to mine

 

[chasesng]

Tank is 75 gal...occupants are

2 sallie lite foot
1 peppermint shrimp
1 camelback shrimp
Assorted blue and scarlet hermits
2 clown goby
1 6line wrasse
2 blue-eyed cardinals
3 scotts reef damsels
1 true perc.
1 fridmani pseudo

We feed variety of "stuff" 2 or 3 times daily. Picture of the injured red shroom is below. Also included picture of similar sized blue shroom which safe distance from frogspawn and is unharmed. (BTW...what kind of shrooms are these?)

I would like to move the red shroom but dont know how to get him off the rock. Any suggestions?

 

[simike]

you could just take a razor, and cut it off at the base. a new shroom may grow there. then you have to make the cut shroom attach it self to a piece of rock or something. Hold it on to a rock or small piece of rock(then glue later to larger piece) by using a rubber band, some mesh material, thread or anything else that can hold it in place for a week or so.

 

[Reefer420]

WOW I love that striped blue shroom! That nice- let me know if you ever have frags

I would also keep an eye out for those 'bad' bristle worms (they begin w/ an H- you can look up on the forum for posts about this...) I had a huge bristle worm that ate ALL my shrooms and nearly all my zoos before I caught him in the act while he was muching zoos- for my 16g tank his 10" length and thickness the size of my thumb was gigantic :bigeyes:

Try sneaking looks at night- w/ moonlights or a red light...

 

[ezee]

chaseng,

If that is the actual pic of the shroom I would have to guess it is not being eaten but stung. FYI Camels can be coral pickers.

E

 

[House of Laughter]

chaseng,

If that is the actual pic of the shroom I would have to guess it is not being eaten but stung. FYI Camels can be coral pickers.

E

I agree E - my bet would be Camel and stinging in that order

House

 

[chasesng]

I've never noticed the camel out front in the tank...altho there are plenty of oppy's to be alone. The blue shroom is untouched and in a more vulnerable position so the camel would have to be a real closet eater. And the red shroom doesnt seem to ge getting any better or worse.

All of which leads me to believe that the stinging is the issue. I really like the position of the frogspawn/perc and my first preference would be to move the shroom.

So what do i do? Literally take the rock out of the tank with both corals on it and quickly cut the shroom off with an exacto? Or do i but it in a washbasin and do underwater surgery?

Does anyone remember cutting their first shroom and what kind of beginner mistakes i'm likely to make?

Ultimately it comes down to dislodging the frogspawn (and upsetting the host perc) or slicing the shroom and getting it a new location with better light (currently on bottom half of rock in shade of spawn which has grown substantially over last 6 months.)

chase

 

[Deanos]

So what do i do? Literally take the rock out of the tank with both corals on it and quickly cut the shroom off with an exacto? Or do i but it in a washbasin and do underwater surgery?

Does anyone remember cutting their first shroom and what kind of beginner mistakes i'm likely to make?

Check the Coral Farming Forum here at Manhattan Reefs! :splitspin There's a thread or 2 on mushrooms.

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

it could also be this order. sting, then a camel munch as it is being stung shrimps like to munch on stressed corals. one of my mushrooms had the same issue it eventually grew back even bigger and is no longer under attack. the thing is i had no stinging coral at the time so mine was a pest problem.

 

[ezee]

Chase,

Taking the mushroom off the rock should not be difficult. The reason is because most of the time mushrooms are REALLY hardy and bounce back. There are two things you have to do.

Slice cleanly and as much of the tissue as possible, in fact, if you can slice the sliver of rock off that it is on, that would be good. Taking the rock out will really help but if you can't don't worry. Just reach down there and slice it off along the rock. If you do it in the water it is going to look pretty nasty but you should be okay.

Mount it. There are a lot of opinions on this one. I personally like the needle thing myself. There is also the netting solution and the rubberband solution, etc. Place it in a low flow area and give it some time.

Just make sure it stays anchored so you don't lose it.

E

I've never noticed the camel out front in the tank...altho there are plenty of oppy's to be alone. The blue shroom is untouched and in a more vulnerable position so the camel would have to be a real closet eater. And the red shroom doesnt seem to ge getting any better or worse.

All of which leads me to believe that the stinging is the issue. I really like the position of the frogspawn/perc and my first preference would be to move the shroom.

So what do i do? Literally take the rock out of the tank with both corals on it and quickly cut the shroom off with an exacto? Or do i but it in a washbasin and do underwater surgery?

Does anyone remember cutting their first shroom and what kind of beginner mistakes i'm likely to make?

Ultimately it comes down to dislodging the frogspawn (and upsetting the host perc) or slicing the shroom and getting it a new location with better light (currently on bottom half of rock in shade of spawn which has grown substantially over last 6 months.)

chase