How do you know if a mushroom is dead?

[coolcat310]

How can you tell that you're mushroom is dead? I just saw one of my mushrooms hangin on the side of the rock (mushrooms came w/ the rocks I bought).


Thanks,

coolcat310

[Bryan Thompson]

If it is gooey and stinks.

Bryan

[minh_han]

I knew mine had died when it melted away into nothing. There was no trace of it anywhere. :(

[coolcat310]

Okay. So mine isn't dead yet. It still looks whole but it no longer attached to the rocks.

Thanks.

coolcat310

[pete_ra]

you know a mushroom is dead when it has turned a white color. The reason its colored is because mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with algae that live in its tisse. the mushroom is dead when the algae living in its tissues is dead, and it is a whit/clear color.

[TIGER SHARK]

The shrooms frags I have had die, slimed up into a dark colored mess and they stunk so I threw them out.

[TPHAN]

Originally posted by pete_ra
you know a mushroom is dead when it has turned a white color. The reason its colored is because mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with algae that live in its tisse. the mushroom is dead when the algae living in its tissues is dead, and it is a whit/clear color.

(IME) Some actually if possible gain their color back after awhile if they haven't already start to deteriorate. When they turn white sometimes they aren't dead just bleached out because the lighting was to strong at the time. I have had a few do that and come back with no problems but takes awhile to recover. Once they do they are good as new!

[John N]

Mushrooms can (and will) detach themselves from the rock that they were once a happy resident of. It has happened to me many times. If it is hanging there, still somewhat attached, more than likely it is going to completely detach itself soon.

It **could** be one of many different things, including:
- it didn't like the water flow it was getting in that spot, usually a result of too much flow
- it wasn't getting enough or was getting too much light in that spot
- something (maybe a crab, snail, fish, other critter) attacked it at the base where it was attached and is hanging there as a result. Now, also realize that the crab, etc may not have been directly attacking the mushroom but rather a worm or something else in a hole near the base of that 'shroom.
- or a host of other possible reasons

Once it becomes detached, take some loctite superglue **GEL** and reattach it somewhere. You could also take the rock out and put a drop of superglue GEL under the base of the shroom if it is still hanging there.

Just my thoughts & experiences.