Shrooms And Current

[Donya]

I got a detached red mushroom yesterday and placed it where I thought "moderate" current was. Within a couple of hours it was making a break for it, even after I turned the pumps off to make sure it moving on its own and not just getting blown about. I stuck it in an area beinnd a larger rock that gets little direct current so it wouldn't get knocked free when I turned the pumps (I had to go out of the house unexpectedly)...and in that place it expanded to double its original size and has glued itself down already. Is this water flow preference normal for shrooms? I am used to seeing them more up front and in the current...I was considering moving the rock to have more direct flow, but I'm not sure if I should now since it seems happy?

 

[SkiFletch]

Mine exhibit the same behavior you describe. They open up HUGE in the corner of my tank with little flow and stick really quick there too. Thye must like it since they're splitting and dropping little colonies everywhere...

 

[Donya]

Alright, I guess the rock stays then, thanks!

 

[Donya]

I guess it must be really happy today...talk about unfolding.

Before the escape, when I'd tried to stick it to a rock in the current:

This morning, after having run off and been attached to a tucked-away rock:

That's a 2" turbo beside it in the 2nd pic. My only regret now is that the rock is in a fairly tough-to-see spot. If it produces offspring maybe I can move them to more obvious locations.

 

[crazyelece]

most of your corals are used to being pounded in the ocean and will be happiest where they would naturally be pushed to. Since mushrooms are like little parachutes, they will blow all over when in a current until they are deposited where there is little flow to move them around. This is where they have naturally developed to flourish. So that's the area they will likely grow and develop the best. You could always play with your powerheads and get a lighter or almost dead spot of flow in the front and they will grow out in front no problem.

 

[Donya]

This may be a stupid question...but is eating small rocks ever a concern with mushrooms?

I have an obnoxious fish that takes it upon himself to build a pyrammid of rocks on top of every new addition to the tank, be it snail, plant, LR, or coral. I came home this evening to find a nicely formed pebble pile in the middle of the mushroom. I've had enough other, more physiologically advanced animals try to eat rocks (snails, birds, dogs...horses...) that I am a bit concerned should it happen again in the future and I don't catch it as quickly.

 

[SkiFletch]

Thats a good question to which I dont know the answer . I know that mushrooms can eat food, but I'm pretty sure they'll scoff at rocks. Ife had sand on mine before and they didnt eat that...