SPS and mushroom compatibility?

[scolley]

I've got an SPS dominant tank, with some LPS. No softies of any form. And it's doing pretty well... nice color, nice PE all the time. My problem is that I had a Diver's Den order come in today, and it was the wrong thing. I got a refund, by now I've got this mushroom rock that I didn't order.

This is the Diver's Den pic they sent me.

I got rid of ALL of my softies before I started this SPS dominant tank. Did not want to risk any chemical warfare. But this looks nice enough, that I'm considering keeping it. But I'm wondering if it would work on the sand of my tank?

Of course that begs the question of whether mushrooms can even survive in a practically ULN tank.

Thoughts anyone? Thanks.

 

[discocarp]

It will do fine. The biggest risk is shaded out babies that detach and float to very unfortunate spots, like at the base of your acros. For what its worth, I have a small tan leather that I got from Diver's Den in a similar mixup. I wasn't particularly happy, but they were very quick on the refund so I can't complain.

 

[scolley]

It will do fine. The biggest risk is shaded out babies that detach and float to very unfortunate spots, like at the base of your acros.

Thanks for the feedback. I'd have a duck if these killed any of my SPS. Really.

So apparently just putting them on the bottom in a moderate/low flow area, with little food in the water column to stimulate growth/babies, is not enough? I'd still be at significant risk of them spreading?

Can you confirm? Thanks.

 

[discocarp]

Yes, you are at risk. The risk isn't huge, but once one drops and gets a foothold elsewhere they can become very irritating to eradicate. The sandbed strategy will help a lot, but not completely eliminate your risk. They do drop off occasionally.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Of course that begs the question of whether mushrooms can even survive in a practically ULN tank. Thoughts anyone?

they will survive.. but not reproduce as rapidly as they do in a "normal" mixed reef aquarium.

Nice piece they sent.

 

[scolley]

Thanks for the feedback folks. When I pulled it out of the bag, no less than three tiny, tiny shrooms had fallen off the rock and were at the bottom of the bag. That's when I decided to give it away.

Too much of a risk. It was a nice piece, lucky to get it for free. But even doing a quick tally of $$$ wortj of SPS in that little tank, it became clear that even a small risk was just not acceptable. So gave it to a local reef buddy.

Going over to see his 125g in a little while. Will see how they are doing.

Thanks for the help though! :thumbsup:

 

[Glennw]

I got rid of ALL of my softies before I started this SPS dominant tank. Did not want to risk any chemical warfare.

I've got a 180g reef with almost all mushrooms and leathers now and I can't grow any SPS. Is that why, too much mushrooms and leathers (Chemical warfare)? Do I need to get rid of them all in order to grow SPS and LPS again???????

 

[scolley]

I've got a 180g reef with almost all mushrooms and leathers now and I can't grow any SPS. Is that why, too much mushrooms and leathers (Chemical warfare)? Do I need to get rid of them all in order to grow SPS and LPS again???????

Hopefully someone else can chime in. I don't have much experience with softies. I was just being overly cautious based on what I had read.

Can someone with more experience answer Glennw's question?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Allelopathy

Allelopathy

chemical warfare = allelopathy

think of a closed system (reef aquarium) as a big bowl of soup.

it's not "open" like the ocean... no chemicals in a reef aquarium get diluted to any appreciable degree.

to have long term success with many types of "softies" and "SPS" together (sorry- this is a broad statement and I try and avoid being general) you need to try and re-create a favorable environment for your corals to thrive. This can be accomplished in many ways: limit chemical metabolites by large frequent water changes, granular activated carbon, great protein skimming, fine mechanical filtration etc.

FOR EXAMPLE: Sinularia can be a killer. Get any aquarium full of Sinularia dura and try to grow anything else in the aquarium. Good luck!

In my personal mixed reef years ago I witnessed an explosion in stony coral growth after removing one large softie from the system. Sinularia, Sarcophyton, Lobophytum, Clavularia, Xeniids.... look out.
All of these are relatively strong chemical offenders.

tip: don't scrub Xeniids and/or Clavularia from rock inside your aquarium with a toothbrush. If a Tridacna inhales the resulting "juices" it can get sickened by them and die.

 

[scolley]

Great, informative reply. Thanks Gary! :thumbsup:

Too bad about the Sinularia. I've seen some absolutely stunning neon green examples of that.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Great, informative reply. Thanks Gary! :thumbsup:

Too bad about the Sinularia. I've seen some absolutely stunning neon green examples of that.

agreed. I have access to some beautiful neon green Sinularia and I keep talking myself out of it.

 

[Glennw]

Thanks for the info Gary Majchrzak. I guess I will slowly try and rid my tank of all my softies first befor trying more SPS, etc. Didn't mean to steal your thread Scolley.

 

[scolley]

Not at all. I got what I needed out of it. Glad it helped.

 

[Khemul]

Yep. That is the tricky thing to a mixed reef.

LPS like to kill/eat anything that gets close. Polyps like to zerg-rush the other corals. Softies like to turn the water toxic to anything that gets close (unfortunately for them "close" means anywhere in the tank). SPS like to stay in conditions that encourage the LPS and Softies to move elsewhere (not a very good strategy in an aquarium). Mushrooms just don't care either way and laugh at the corals' attempts to compete while sending wave after wave of babies until the other corals get tired of life.

 

[Glennw]

So are mushrooms just as toxic as leathers and should all be removed, also??

 

[Khemul]

Mushrooms aren't as toxic. As far as I know they won't do the chemical warfare like softies. They can be quite invasive though since they have the ability to move and they are able to brush off many of the attacks of other corals.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

SPS that fall into the "mushroom mosh pit" perish quickly

 

[Michigan Mike]

I wouldn't risk mushrooms but I have a large toadstool leather that has touched milli, monti caps, birdsnest, acros without incident.

I have a LPS/ softy dominate tank I'd put them in though!

 

[discocarp]

Mushrooms sting, leathers don't. The problem with leathers is alleopathy not stinging/spreading. Having said that, I have a couple leathers in with my SPS right now. I run carbon to help.