Best lighting for mushrooms

[eskimoigloo]

Under T5's, what is the best height in my tank for my mushrooms, they don't seem to be growing at all. I have 2 54W T5's 14K and a 40W T8 Actinic Blue, my tank is 18" high, lights are 3" above water, and mushrooms are on bottom of tank. Everything else seems to be doing ok at the minute after a phosphate reduction.

Chris.

[Gillybaby]

It really depends on what type of mushrooms you have - discosoma sp, rhodactis sp or ricordia sp? If your not entirely sure a pic would be helpful.

They all require very different lighting levels from needing very bright direct light to preferring dull shaded areas.

Let us know which kind and we'll be able to help ;)

[fishz]

I find that they vary greatly. I have discosoma sp. that like to be at the top of the tank with lots of (T5) light/flow and others that won't open unless they're in the shade.

I think they're equally varied in how much flow they like. Best bet is to place them where they fit and move them if they don't expand fully within a couple of days.... starting with low flow/light and increasing both if they're not happy. (I've had a group completely trashed by leaving them in reasonably high flow for a few days while I was away. Reduced the colony from 15+ to 2, and they're still not looking well.)

hth -Gary

[Kev]

Any idea which ones you are thinking about yet?

Kev

[eskimoigloo]

The mushrooms on this rock... the anemone has been disposed of as i was reliably informed it was a nasty... think that is what started the decline of the mushroom colony in the first place, but where I have them now they don't seem to be recovering.



When i first got them they were twice the size they are now (currently about 20mm dia.) and there 5 times as many!

Chris

[Kev]

I think they look like a variety of Discosoma. In my experience they don't want to be in overly bright conditions. I have some under halides, but they are at the bottom of the tank in a shady spot, with not too much of a strong current. They are fairing very nicely.

Kev

[eskimoigloo]

maybe, they are still suffereng from the majano then? they are at the bottom of my tank, and the ones on the side of the rock look much better than the ones on the top, I have tried shading them with a new bunch of mushrooms, which are doing much better... these new ones have a mouth in the middle and are various colours and some are massive.

[Kev]

I think these creatures can be a bit trial and error too in respect of situation. In my experience they will expand quite quickly once you have found a spot they like. Current and lighting both play a part. It is difficult to be too specific with an answer on this one.

Kev

[Gillybaby]

I have the exact same mushies as the ones in the pic. If it helps at all they are at the top of my tank but totally shaded from my metal halides by a large rock. They do however get a wee bit of sunlight from the patio doors but not much. They are also in medium flow. They are spreading quite well and are always well expanded.

As Kev says, it can be trial and error but Discosoma sp in general prefer shaded areas and a medium to low flow. If you find a spot like this for them then I'm sure they'll recover given time.

HTH

[slinkyslink]

I had a nice coloney of green mushrooms about ten on some rock and always open but over the last 3-4 months they wont open and most have abandoned the rock some never seen again. Over the months i have tried moving them to less flow less light and even up in the tank, I have left them to settle for a month with no success. They are at the lowr level of the tank now with a little shade so we will see what happens, I have almost given up hope on them!