Toadstool behavior

[rudeanduncouth]

Background: I have had this toadstool for about 2 months now. For the first two weeks it was pretty normal. It would open up full and was nice and big (5" is diameter). But for the last 6 weeks it hasn't opened up. I thought it was shedding but it never did. It has shrunk a little but not too much. Other than it doesn't open up, it seems relatively healthy. No signs of decay or anything out of the ordinary. I had noticed that right towards the end of my light cycle it would start to extend. Just a little though (instead of being smooth some of the polyps would turn to bumps). I had seen it do this a little bit at other times through the 6 weeks but it seems somewhat consistent to do this at the end of my light cycle.

Question: The other day my wife left the light on for an extra 3 hours because she forgot about it. When she came back into to shut it off the toadstool was fully opened. What is going on? That seems rather bizarre behavior. This is my first toadstool though so I am not sure if this is normal. I have a 28G NC 150w HQI. The light is probably 2" off the water and the toadstool is probably 12" for the surface of the water.

 

[125G Reefer]

How long is your light cycle?

 

[rudeanduncouth]

11 hours

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[125G Reefer]

Nitrates 0? If they are, then are you feeding the tank Phyto or some other coral food?

 

[Michigan Mike]

Try moving it towards the light more.
Love me some toadies! See it in my avatar?

 

[Drew707]

Love toadstools aswell..they are what first got me into saltwater not some super rare coral

 

[rudeanduncouth]

Nitrates 0? If they are, then are you feeding the tank Phyto or some other coral food?

Nitrates are 0. I don't skim. I just have a efficient refugium. I feed twice a day a homemade mixture of shrimp, clams, fish, squid, silversides, oyster eggs, and garlic. I feed once about 15 minutes after the lights come on and again about 45 minutes before the lights go off. I do occasionally feed phyto but not on any regular schedule.

Try moving it towards the light more.
Love me some toadies! See it in my avatar?

That thing is huge. I would have to frag mine well before it got that big.

 

[SushiGirl]

Sounds like it wants more light to me, too. 11 hours is a long light cycle, moving it up toward the light should help.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

I will give it a try when I get back on Friday. Always a pain because it is mounted on a large awkward rock.

 

[rudeanduncouth]

I moved it up higher in the tank and after a few hours it looked terrible. I moved to a place a little more shaded. Maybe it is was too much light.

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[125G Reefer]

Doubtful on to much light. What you did was shock it by moving to, and to a higher position. Leave it there for a few days. Softies are a pain in the butt, ya gotta more or less leave em for a week or so after moving em, that and they get ticked off if you change lighting.

 

[Michigan Mike]

My toadie is mere inches under an ATI SUNPOWER. They can handle high light, you just may need to drop to less hours and slowly add more hours. I only get about 7-8 hours of intense light. 10-11 hours total.
Mine pulled in its polyps for awhile when I added more flow but after a little while it was having very long polyps again.