Mushroom vomiting!

ajmckay

Hey all... So things have been going well in my tank for a while now...

But just the other day I noticed that there was some funny-looking stuff on my mushrooms...

I tried to get a picture, but they're at the back of my tank and this was the closest I could get with my point & shoot digital...

The "vomit" was centralized, over the "mouth" opening on about 3 of the mushrooms. It was a compact looking 'mini-flower' (I just think it looked like a flower, almost like the folds of a carnation or something similar), white in color with a thin brown line outlining the folds. It was small, and as far as I can tell lasted a few hours then must have retracted back into the mushroom. I had seen this one other time, about 2 weeks after I got the coral. There have been no other signs of this phenomenon on any other corals. In a strange way they almost looked like a mass of tiny flatworms congregated into a 1/2 ball shape... I know they're not flatworms though because they're so centralized and they haven't affected anything else.

When I got this rock I had it in the middle of the tank on the sand, but a few weeks ago I moved it to a corner that needed something in it, but there seemed to be less light there. I currently have a 2 bulb T5 fixture over an 18" deep tank. I noticed Wednesday that the mushrooms had retracted some presumably from being in the shadier spot, so Thursday I moved them back into the center and a little higher up in the tank.

My water parameters should be good except for some organic waste build-up (a nasty film has developed on the water surface) due to my protein skimmer being out of commission for about 2 weeks to attempt to modify it (Seaclone 100). I'll post the modification when I'm finished. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0 PH 8.3 and high alkalinity (I don't know the exact number because I'm still using my Red Sea test kit which only has a low, medium, high indicator.

If anyone's seen this before I'd love some feedback. Also, does anyone have some suggestions on how to revive them and get them to extend out and puff up more? Thanks!

Attached Images

DSC00246copy.jpg (76.6 KB, 55 views)

cerianthus

As far as i know, the opening is both moutn and you know what. As long as back to normal, I am thinking mushrooms went to bathroom?lol
Ive seen similar symptoms when arrived from long trip (Indo, etc), some recovered but some did not. Since you had them for while and back to normal appearnace, I'm inclined to think that they are excreting waste products.

aquakid

Not Good

briang

Don't panic, My mushrooms as well as my open brain coral have extruded these thin white filaments. I forgot the name, They are called MEZO-something.It is a sign that something is bothering them. It doesn't mean that they will die. Check out my open brain picture. My mushrooms were exactly the same way. I fixed my water parameters and all is well.those white cottony looking masses at the base of the flesh is really a bunch of long stringy stuff. I thought he was a goner but that was over a year ago and he looks great. My problem was PH.

ajmckay

mesenterial filaments is what they're called. They are actually part of the corals digestive system and so they will use those to eat surrounding corals that are getting to close. Unfortunately mine haven't really been getting any better. on the 5th I moved them down to the bottom of the tank where there is less light and less flow. They're still the same color green, but they've shrunk up quite a bit. what was once the size of a Silver Dollar is now like a nickel and what was once a quarter is now like a pea... I really hope they get better. My other mushrooms that are close (but not touching) are doing phenomenally! They're about to split. So I'm just hoping for the best I guess. Any other ideas or suggestions?