new mushroom frags keep falling to the substrate, why?

swnoobie · 10/30/2008, 11:45 AM

i have 2 hairy mushroom frags..had them for about 5 days or so...i tried putting them high up on the rocks..next morning they were both on the substrate..so i moved them to lower rocks with less flow..this morning they were both on the substrate again..i just left them be this time around..
so my question is..why do they keep ending up on the substrate? is that saying they do not like the spots i put them in..or could little snails and hermits be knocking them off when lights are out?
thanks in advance

_E_ · 10/30/2008, 11:46 AM

Are these mushrooms attached to anything?

swnoobie · 10/30/2008, 11:57 AM

yes..little peices of rubble and i do put them securley on bigger peices of rock..im confused..lol

_E_ · 10/30/2008, 12:06 PM

If they're attached to rubble then something is knocking them off...either flow or critters. You could look into attaching the rock more securely with epoxy or superglue gel, but this will be a little more permanent placement (esp. with epoxy). Don't know what your lighting or flow is, but shrooms usually like moderate amounts of both so consider that in the placement. And to ease any confusion, mushrooms can move on their own if they don't like their conditions. They do this by slowly detaching from the rock they are anchored on and drifting to another spot in your system. IME this takes weeks to do and shouldn't happen with good placement.

swnoobie · 10/30/2008, 12:31 PM

hmmm..i dunno lol..i have a koralia 1 and a marineland powerhead..have 4 t5 lights..two actinic and two 10ks
they are not drifting off their rock..its the whole peice of rubble and all that fall to the sand..ill just leave them on the sand and see how they are in the morning..if fine then ill just leave them there i suppose

Stray32 · 10/30/2008, 01:50 PM

I have had critters move a large plug with zoas from a hole halfway up my live rock, clear to the back corner of my tank on the sand. And they kept doing it until I secured it with epoxy. Your LFS should have a tube of reef safe epoxy that will work fine and you will be able to attach it just about anywhere.

OneReef · 10/30/2008, 03:10 PM

crabs or snails can knock anything over

JCJHET · 10/30/2008, 05:03 PM

What kind of mobile invertebrates do you have in your tank?

IslandCrow · 10/30/2008, 06:43 PM

Something is obviously knocking them over as has already been stated. Mushrooms don't just get up and walk around during the day. Even under lower quality T-5s they should do fine on the bottom of the tank, though. If you want them to stay in one place, you're just going to have to secure them better.

horsefarm5 · 10/30/2008, 09:28 PM

sounds like the snails got you..ther are great redecorators

barbra · 10/30/2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by IslandCrow
... Mushrooms don't just get up and walk around during the day. ..

Yes, they do. A mushroom will dis-attach itself and move if it doesn't like it's spot.

Flipper62 · 10/30/2008, 10:39 PM

I have a candy cane that the snails & crabs keeping knocking off. I dont want to attach it with glue because I'm adding things & dont know if thats where I really want it.

BUT.....I swear them guys are doing it just to pis# me off. 10 minutes after I put it back.....they scramble back to knock it off again.

Maybe I will super glue the snails to each other...LOL...hehehe

Dave & Monica · 10/31/2008, 06:01 AM

Just glue them to something larger, wait a week, then use epoxy to place the larger rock where you want them. Also, if it's no big deal, let them be, they'll find a home and attach themselves soon enough.

crvz · 10/31/2008, 06:32 AM

I'd bet a snail or crab (or even a fish) is knocking them around. If you glue them in place, you'll likely not find it on the substrate in the morning.

saintperez · 10/31/2008, 06:39 AM

I had the same problem with blue mushroom heads that were not attached to anything. Tried gluing them to the rock with superglue gel and a few days later they were off the rock. One in a really bad spot that would require me to take my rock work apart. I said the hell with it, and before you know it he's upside down on the substrate at the front of the tank. One of them found a spot and has stayed there. He's blossemd quite well and is now about the size of a quarter. The other is uprrighht now and is expanding as should with the light.

Just let them be, they'll find there place. It's how nature works and is much more natural looking than anything we can try and stack nice and neatly.

IslandCrow · 10/31/2008, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Yes, they do. A mushroom will dis-attach itself and move if it doesn't like it's spot.

You're absolutely correct there (and it's not really so much a matter of not "liking" the spot), but it wouldn't still be attached to the piece of rock he says it's on. What I meant was that it doesn't move around like an anemone (well, it can to a very limited degree). It detaches and just gets blown where it may. Generally, if a mushroom detaches it's either because of overcrowding or it's getting heavily shadowed by another piece coral, rock ledge, etc. Usually, though, once a mushroom has firmly attached, it's not going anywhere.

swnoobie · 10/31/2008, 02:04 PM

wow..thanks for all the replies guys!!! much appreciated

as far as glueing..it is a new tank and still adding things like the above poster is doing..so not sure if thats where i want them..so ill just leave them be and if they wanna move they are free to do so..they are doing great so far

10/30/2008, 11:45 AM	#1
swnoobie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: N. Indiana Posts: 98	new mushroom frags keep falling to the substrate, why? i have 2 hairy mushroom frags..had them for about 5 days or so...i tried putting them high up on the rocks..next morning they were both on the substrate..so i moved them to lower rocks with less flow..this morning they were both on the substrate again..i just left them be this time around.. so my question is..why do they keep ending up on the substrate? is that saying they do not like the spots i put them in..or could little snails and hermits be knocking them off when lights are out? thanks in advance

10/30/2008, 11:46 AM	#2
_E_ Professional Lurker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Du Quoin, Illinois Posts: 1,169	Are these mushrooms attached to anything? __________________ Eric "If you think things can't get worse it's probably only because you lack sufficient imagination." Current Tank Info: 140 DSA with basement sump room

10/30/2008, 12:06 PM	#4
_E_ Professional Lurker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Du Quoin, Illinois Posts: 1,169	If they're attached to rubble then something is knocking them off...either flow or critters. You could look into attaching the rock more securely with epoxy or superglue gel, but this will be a little more permanent placement (esp. with epoxy). Don't know what your lighting or flow is, but shrooms usually like moderate amounts of both so consider that in the placement. And to ease any confusion, mushrooms can move on their own if they don't like their conditions. They do this by slowly detaching from the rock they are anchored on and drifting to another spot in your system. IME this takes weeks to do and shouldn't happen with good placement. __________________ Eric "If you think things can't get worse it's probably only because you lack sufficient imagination." Current Tank Info: 140 DSA with basement sump room

10/30/2008, 01:50 PM	#6
Stray32 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Castle Shannon (Pittsburgh) PA Posts: 897	I have had critters move a large plug with zoas from a hole halfway up my live rock, clear to the back corner of my tank on the sand. And they kept doing it until I secured it with epoxy. Your LFS should have a tube of reef safe epoxy that will work fine and you will be able to attach it just about anywhere. __________________ Thanks, Jared Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed reef, 30 Gal Frag Tank

10/30/2008, 06:43 PM	#9
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	Something is obviously knocking them over as has already been stated. Mushrooms don't just get up and walk around during the day. Even under lower quality T-5s they should do fine on the bottom of the tank, though. If you want them to stay in one place, you're just going to have to secure them better. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

10/30/2008, 11:57 AM	#3
swnoobie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: N. Indiana Posts: 98	yes..little peices of rubble and i do put them securley on bigger peices of rock..im confused..lol

10/30/2008, 12:31 PM	#5
swnoobie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: N. Indiana Posts: 98	hmmm..i dunno lol..i have a koralia 1 and a marineland powerhead..have 4 t5 lights..two actinic and two 10ks they are not drifting off their rock..its the whole peice of rubble and all that fall to the sand..ill just leave them on the sand and see how they are in the morning..if fine then ill just leave them there i suppose

10/30/2008, 03:10 PM	#7
OneReef Reef Guru Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: the great South Posts: 3,218	crabs or snails can knock anything over

10/30/2008, 05:03 PM	#8
JCJHET Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: OH Posts: 124	What kind of mobile invertebrates do you have in your tank?

10/30/2008, 09:28 PM	#10
horsefarm5 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 176	sounds like the snails got you..ther are great redecorators

10/30/2008, 10:39 PM	#12
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	I have a candy cane that the snails & crabs keeping knocking off. I dont want to attach it with glue because I'm adding things & dont know if thats where I really want it. BUT.....I swear them guys are doing it just to pis# me off. 10 minutes after I put it back.....they scramble back to knock it off again. Maybe I will super glue the snails to each other...LOL...hehehe __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

10/31/2008, 06:01 AM	#13
Dave & Monica Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Aurora, CO Posts: 1,255	Just glue them to something larger, wait a week, then use epoxy to place the larger rock where you want them. Also, if it's no big deal, let them be, they'll find a home and attach themselves soon enough.

10/31/2008, 06:32 AM	#14
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	I'd bet a snail or crab (or even a fish) is knocking them around. If you glue them in place, you'll likely not find it on the substrate in the morning. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

10/31/2008, 06:39 AM	#15
saintperez Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boca Raton, FL. Posts: 1,062	I had the same problem with blue mushroom heads that were not attached to anything. Tried gluing them to the rock with superglue gel and a few days later they were off the rock. One in a really bad spot that would require me to take my rock work apart. I said the hell with it, and before you know it he's upside down on the substrate at the front of the tank. One of them found a spot and has stayed there. He's blossemd quite well and is now about the size of a quarter. The other is uprrighht now and is expanding as should with the light. Just let them be, they'll find there place. It's how nature works and is much more natural looking than anything we can try and stack nice and neatly.

10/31/2008, 02:04 PM	#17
swnoobie Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: N. Indiana Posts: 98	wow..thanks for all the replies guys!!! much appreciated as far as glueing..it is a new tank and still adding things like the above poster is doing..so not sure if thats where i want them..so ill just leave them be and if they wanna move they are free to do so..they are doing great so far