Mushroom guts...this time it is bad. HELP Please!

smartang22 · #1 12/11/2007, 06:34 PM

My umbrella mushroom is completely deflated and all of its guts are coming out of its mouth. I don't know why. The most recent problem was a few aiptasia that were close to it, but I stuck epoxy all over the rock. And no I did not get expoxy on the mushroom itself.

I am at a loss. My water quality is good but the lights need to be replaced. The mushroom is at the top of the rocks.

Please, any help is totally appreciated. Please hurry too!!
Thanks!

smartang22 · #2 12/11/2007, 06:41 PM

Also, when this happens, is it toxic to the tank?

smartang22 · #3 12/11/2007, 07:24 PM

Anyone please?

saltycreefer · #4 12/11/2007, 07:26 PM

Give it a little time. As long as it doesn't start to melt it should recover. Maybe place it near the bottom.

smartang22 · #5 12/11/2007, 08:10 PM

How do I remove it from the rock without cutting the "foot" or stressing it out more? I wanted to move some purple mushrooms too but was too nervous to try. I am scared to hurt them or make the water toxic.

demonsp · #6 12/11/2007, 08:21 PM

How long have you hade this shroom?
And water fine? Do you know the readings from ammonia to alk to phposphate?

smartang22 · #7 12/11/2007, 08:58 PM

I have only had him for about 2 weeks. My water parameters are good, ammonia at 0, nitrates and nitrites at 0, alkalinity is in the good range for the strip I used. Also, my phospahtes are always reading 0.2. I do a one gallon water change per week which
I did on Saturday. On Sunday I did the epoxying and I also tried to do the injecting the aiptasia with lemon juice (next to the mushroom).

Is any of this making sense? Right now the lights are off and it is folded over on itself. And I can still see a few guts but since it is folded up I can't tell if there is still a lot of the guts. I also checked and it has attached itself to the rock other than where I tried to.

Thanks for the help

MMM33732 · #8 12/11/2007, 09:01 PM

One of my umbrellas does that from time to time. I think its just hypersensitive since none of the other do it. either way, I wouldn't worry about it. They go back in within a few days. Very hardy corals.

Sk8r · #9 12/11/2007, 09:19 PM

What's your ph? s/b 7.9-8.3.
Alkalinity s/b 8.3-9.3 or a little higher.
THose two readings are more critical for shrooms, plus of course low nitrate/ammonia.
You don't mention salinity. 1.024-1.026.
Get a refractometer, a ph meter and test of alk that is other than strips: that will help you a lot. Do you have an autotopoff? Bouncing salinity is a problem.

demonsp · #10 12/11/2007, 09:25 PM

He could just be ejecting waste. Or could be unhappy with amount of light or flow form to strong to not enough.
Also if you can remove the rock with the aptesia on it then remove and fresh water dip and brush off with clean metal brush or even a toothpic or chip off with a hammer and flathead. The shroom will be fine while you clean it off.

jpeconsult · #11 12/11/2007, 11:22 PM

Will the lemon joice do anything to the mushroom? maybe citric acid???

zotzer · #12 12/11/2007, 11:40 PM

Mushrooms do that as a freaky defense mechanism. 9 times out of 10 it will go back to normal. He probably got peeved about the lemon juice. No worries...he'll most likely get over it.

Tracy

smartang22 · #13 12/13/2007, 08:40 AM

If I remove the rock to pick the epoxy off will the mushrooms be ok out of the water for a few minutes? Should I spash some water on them while I do that? I also want to take that change to remove some purple mushrooms that are out of control.

I have been watching this mushroom and he is not opening up and not pulling all of his guts back in.

I thought umbrella mushrooms wanted to be higher in the tank to get more light. Can anyone chime in on that?

AlexB650 · #14 12/14/2007, 07:30 AM

I wouldnt even worry about it if i was you. I have left shrooms out of the water for hours and had them live. And also, I have left them in freezing cold water with no light for weeks by accident and had them live. Trust me, if you kill one, it is time to find a new hobby. It should be fine.

Blown 346 · #15 12/14/2007, 10:41 AM

I agree with DemonsP, Shrooms will expel waste from there mouth, it will look brown and stringy. Brain corals also do this, as well as bubble corals

nrstype · #16 12/14/2007, 10:47 AM

Something probably made it upset. Lemon Juice, epoxy, or something irritating. If it is still alive.. give it time. Should bounce back.

I leave my shrooms out a long time when fragging... I try to rinse the pieces off in aquarium water in a bowl, to get off any residual goo (blood/guts).. then place them back in.

Yes.. they can handle being out of the water. Like everyone is saying.. these guys are tough.

smartang22 · #17 12/14/2007, 11:27 AM

At the very least I am pretty sure that mushrooms are hardy. I noticed that he is looking better. He still has a few guts out but is opening up. I took the rock out and peeled a few purple shrooms off to thin the overgrowth. The rest seem ok. In comparing mushrooms to mushrooms, how does the umbrella mushroom compare to say the plain ol' purple one?

The rics I have look great and I just got a few more. I woke up this morning and one fell into a crack in my LR. So now I have to figure out how to dig it out.

Thanks for all of the great advice. I am a little more confident now. I am also happy to hear that basically everyone has the same experience/advice to give.