Mushroom escaped?

[GreyG35]

This is probably a common question, but...

I have a rock with a bunch of flourescent green striped 'shrooms that I bought a couple of months back. They have been growing and multiplying well, with several getting rather large (approximately 3 inches across). They are starting to look a bit crowded.

One of the big ones looked like it decided to move on -- it was hanging by a thread the other night, and now it's gone. Can't find it anywhere in the tank (but there are lots of places in the rockwork I can't really see or get to).

Is this normal? Did it float off to start a new colony? Should I be moving shrooms around to give the others room to grow?

Thanks!

 

[Sk8r]

It was probably out-competed. Look in your fuge/sump/downflow. It may turn up somewhere in the rockwork. If you find it, get a small rock, net-bag it with mushroom, and give it good conditions. It may get a hold. Did you move or change your lights or flow? Sometimes that will send one walkabout.

 

[GreyG35]

No changes to light or flow. It was getting crowded, and that mushroom was starting to brush against the sand...

Still haven't found it. I don't think it could have gotten into the overflow through those little slots in the AGA Megaflow...It must be in the display tank somewhere...probably behind a rock...

 

[ewaldm]

I've noticed that they'll jump ship if their crowded. New shrooms will grow to replace it, even if you lose it. My only concern would be that you one day find a colony living in a place you don't want it, stinging its neighbors.

 

[GreyG35]

Found the 'shroom plus at least one other that have attached in a well hidden spot behind the rockwork (very hard to see).

Found a smaller one today (about 1 inch) being blown around and getting chased by my FoxFace Fabbitfish (who will eat / chase anything).

Caught it and netted it to a rock in my 'fuge...Hopefully, it will attach. Thanks for the advice!

These things seem to be growing like crazy...

 

[furforfour]

I had a green striped mushroom recently attached to a dead astrea shell on my sand bed. The other night I looked in and it was at the top of my rockwork. I couldnt imagine how it got there, so I looked closer and it turns out that a hermit crab decide to move into the astrea shell. I'm not suggesting this happened to you, I just thought it was funny.

 

[stewymaroon]

Funny story.

 

[tibbs2]

Get rid of them now or they'll cover everything in your tank. I have green striped mushrooms as well and they just spread everywhere.

 

[GreyG35]

Isn't there any way to control them? I really don't mind them covering some of my base rock, but they may need to compete with some rapidly spreading star polyps.

Will they move higher in the aquarium? They don't seem to like bright light.