Elephant Ear Questions

[Octoberfest]

I have 2 neon green elephant ear mushrooms and I have several questions. These were traded to me by a local reefer and I was not aware of how big they got. The two I have currently are only about 3.5" across but I saw where they can get much bigger. So here are my questions.

1. How big do they actually get?
2. Do they split just like other mushrooms?
3. How fast do they split, in ideal conditions
4. Anything else you can tell me about them?

Here are a couple pictures of them.

Bright green ones on the lower left of the picture

 

[reeferoo]

I know I have heard of big ones eating fish

 

[1swtlx]

If they are Elephant ears be prepared to move them out of your tank. 10" in diameter is feasible and anything that will fit in the mouth will probably end up there. Fish / inverts included.
I wouldn't to risk your nice Ric's for these two aggressive shrooms you have pictured.

 

[FreakSRT]

Mine is about 12-14 inches around when fully open. Has had 2 mouths for over a year now. Have no idea when it's going to split. It has been known to eat some of my blue chromis.

 

[cateyes]

i ordered one not knowing,, as soon as i read "fish eater" it was on it's way back to the LFS...

 

[JMCAquarium]

1. How big do they actually get?
As big as they feel like getting also depend on the "food" intake

2. Do they split just like other mushrooms?
Yes, but moslty shoot buds from the foot

3. How fast do they split, in ideal conditions
....You don't want them to split

4. Anything else you can tell me about them?
Move it to a tank by itself while you still have all reef inhabitants Mine even ate a Torch that got to close to it , woke up in the morning it had popped the frag loose and was sucken on it like a lolly pop. mine was 11inches accross when he went bye bye

 

[7hogwarts]

I've had one for almost 2 years. It is probably close to 15". It has never split. Yep, it has eaten fish. I had a Midas bleny that would swim in and out of it. But, he never got muched. On a different occasion I had a powder blue tang that died in the tank 4" and I wanted to see if the elephant ear would eat it. The elephant ear closed up on it in about 60 seconds, a half hour later it reopened and the tang was gone!
However, when anybody sees the mushroom they all think it very cool. I have no intention of getting rid of it.

 

[TIZO]

I cant believe elephant ears can actually eat fish and get that big. would anyone of you that have a large one post up a pic or send me one? just curios what they look like that large in a tank. I just cant imagine them so large.

 

[dawaterboy]

I have a small frag of one of these in my tank but I was unsure of what it was untill now. I don't see a mouth on mine so I am thinking the person who had the lr before me may have tried to kill it.

 

[SPDU4RIA]

nice modern

 

[Apercula]

Not an "elephant ear", but here is a picture of my large Amplexidiscus fenestrafer (Giant Cup Mushroom) at its largest/happiest. I moved it around October last year to a spot it was more cramped, and got less light so it doesnt open as full. Giant Cups are also known fish eaters, but mine has not eaten anything in the year that Ive had it.

PS. That is a standard 12in ruler lying on it, so it was close to 16inches in diameter at the time that picture was taken.

 

[scapes]

good goolie! that is one HUGE mushroom!!