Ricordea Mushroom Walking Away?

[Caulfield]

Ok, so the pic shows a ricordea that I purchased in late Nov. or early Dec. 2011 from a LFS - it was in a smallish coral display tank.

I had it in my 65g DT reef/fish until for about 2-3 weeks but needed to relocate all the coral (softies and LPS) to a 20g long so that I could medicate the fish. All the coral have been doing very well in what was intended as a temporary situation. In fact, 20g is doing so well I've decided I'll make it a permanent nano reef.

Lighting is T5 39w 10K + actinic + "moonlight" leds (these on 24/7). Fixture is 6" longer than tank (intended for 36" not 30" tank) until I can find one someone to swap with me.

Filtration & Flow: Penguin 150 hanging end of tank to maximize flow. Also a Marineland mini-jet as a circulation aid at approx 100gph.

Anyway, some awhile now (many weeks), the ric has been stretching itself to the left (in the direction of water flow).

• Not sure if the ric has too much light? It's 7-8" from light.
• Bored and going for a walk? (sorry)<sorry><sorry></sorry></sorry>
• Too much flow - which just seems unlikely unless they really like still water?

Thanks!

 

[Andrew]

Mushrooms are known to move a little bit to get to different flow or lighting regions of the tank. I've had some just deattach from a rock and a week later they are attached someplace else and perfectly happy. What light do you have him under?

 

[Caulfield]

Mushrooms are known to move a little bit to get to different flow or lighting regions of the tank. I've had some just deattach from a rock and a week later they are attached someplace else and perfectly happy. What light do you have him under?

Hi, Andrew. As indicated in the post, lighting is: T5 2x39w ( one 10K + one actinic + "moonlight" leds).

Light is designed for a 36", not the 30" 20g long tank he's in. The ric is roughly 8-8.5" from the light.

Other mushrooms (see photos) are doing so well in this light that they are beginning to propagate. Not to imply they have same requirements as the ric as much as trying to sort this out.

 

[dangeroo]

It may be trying to get away from the Euphyilia that it is next too, they will sting other corals.

 

[HollyG]

Mushrooms sometimes are known to "walk" to propagate. They take a small walk, usually an inch or so and leave part of their bottom (foot) behind which then grows into a new mushroom. When I had my mushrooms, this is the only way they would propagate for me lol. Mine did this so often they were moving from rock to rock, I eventually ended up trading them for something else since my tank is a 10gal nano, they would have taken over in no time. I think that is what this little guy is doing. Just watch and in another week you will see the part of the foot staying put as the rest of the shroom moves, it will stretch out more and more and then eventually detatch. I had one mushroom that walked over a good 3 inches before it finally stopped, then I had a new baby mushroom where the walker use to be.

 

[chgoblknazn]

My red mushroom moved and disappeared. I found him after a month last week...and now he has disappeared again.