Fuzzy Mushrooms Bleaching

[Lion359]

I have recently bought a rock of fuzzy mushrooms for my 46 bow front, I placed them halfway up in the tank, in slight current. I noticed most of the polyps started bleaching. I have T5 lighting, and they under T5's in the lfs.

I moved them to the bottom of the tank in an area with less flow, my question is which is most likely to cause the bleaching, my lights being brighter that lfs, or the slight current? I have other fuzzy's in the area I originally placed them, and they are fine. water params are good, everything in the tank is healthy.

thanks in advance

[Lance M.]

Bleaching is caused by the lighting, either too much or too less. When comparing yours to the lfs I'd guess that yours is much brighter (you never know when they replace their bulbs, etc.) SLR's and other things will make a big difference.

Fuzzy Mushrooms are pretty hardy. I would leave them on the bottom of the tank and let them acclimate there and very slowly move them up.

[Lion359]

yes, my lighting is much brighter than the lfs, I placed them on the bottom, and the have improved slightly, looks like I might lose a few of the polyps though. anything else I can do to ensure their success?

[Lance M.]

Depending on your rockwork maybe put them underneath a ledge so they get indirect light and/or shorten your photoperiod to about 4-6 hours a day, adding an hour every 5-7 days til your back up to your normal photoperiod.