Can someone educate me on Mushroom Corals?

[LRT]

Interesting replies here. Not sure whats happening with this shroom. I have seen mine spit guts out of stress though.
Far as eating and being photosynthetic. I cant explain the science behind it and whats actually happening but I've see pretty much every one of my shrooms cup up, close and devour food that falls on them. Even as small as sharpie tip marker size. They will eat if they have a mouth in my system anyway.

 

[Hoodstream]

It is a possibility that it is extending mesenterial filaments to grab the food.

For example, my cup mushroom does exactly this. My discos do this when they catch a pod. It is usually a few of them and all curly looking for the discos. I have even seen some of my ricordia do this for a small pod. Most also close up into a sort of "half ball" once they get the "food". Then a few minutes later, lay back flat and get all puffy.

I thought it was something along the lines of catching the food just didn’t think mushrooms had tentacles.

 

[Lyss]

I know there is no need to spot feed mushrooms. I just do it because I’d like it to grow healthy and have read nothing relating to it having negative effects. I just would like to know what the white tube it. I don’t think it’s irritating to the mushroom I’ve seen it get irritated from water changes or maintenance, but from my view it seems to rapidly absorb the reefroids, then suck back in.

yes it seems to come directly out of the mouth. If spot feeding it is annoying it I’ll stop just wanted healthy corals all around.

You won't unknowingly irritate it -- if it doesn't want the food it just won't have a feeding response, and if that's the case then I wouldn't bother. I like to feed one of my ricordeas in particular sometimes b/c it's fun to watch it eat mysis -- it pushes it to it's mouth and folds up on it.

I'm wondering if it's a mesenterial filament, or else some kind of parasitic creature? Mushrooms don't have sweeper tentacles like LPS corals

 

[Hoodstream]

Also to clarify for everyone I’ve spot fed corals around it and the tentacle comes out. Idk if that helps.

 

[Reefing102]

Could it be mesenterial filaments? (Not sure if I’m spelling that correctly
Or perhaps a symbiotic relation with a type of worm?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I thought it was something along the lines of catching the food just didn’t think mushrooms had tentacles.

They are not tentacles. It is actually part os their guts and used for defense, digestion, and eating.

Here is an excerpt from an article on Reefs.com

Mesenterial filaments are string-like extensions of the mesenteries—the internal folds of tissue which create structure within a coral polyp's body. They are typically bright white and full of nematocysts—specialized stinging cells that corals use to capture and kill prey, and to sting their competitors

 

[LRT]

Could it be mesenterial filaments? (Not sure if I’m spelling that correctly
Or perhaps a symbiotic relation with a type of worm?

This would be my guess.

 

[Hoodstream]

You won't unknowingly irritate it -- if it doesn't want the food it just won't have a feeding response, and if that's the case then I wouldn't bother. I like to feed one of my ricordeas in particular sometimes b/c it's fun to watch it eat mysis -- it pushes it to it's mouth and folds up on it.

I'm wondering if it's a mesenterial filament, or else some kind of parasitic creature? Mushrooms don't have sweeper tentacles like LPS corals

Eek. I hope it’s not something parasitic. It comes directly out the mushrooms mouth so can something live in a mushroom?

 

[Hoodstream]

They are not tentacles. It is actually part os their guts and used for defense, digestion, and eating.

Here is an excerpt from an article on Reefs.com

Mesenterial filaments are string-like extensions of the mesenteries—the internal folds of tissue which create structure within a coral polyp's body. They are typically bright white and full of nematocysts—specialized stinging cells that corals use to capture and kill prey, and to sting their competitors

Appreciate the clarification. Was just using tentacle as a descriptive feature but this is the kind of educational stuff I was looking for.

 

[TangGang]

Mushrooms definitely do feed, sometimes larger species can ingest some seriously big foods. When eating, they usually close up completely until you only see their foot. I used to feed my mushrooms, literally hundreds of rhodactis, mysis, oyster feast and reef roids. I definitely saw a benefit to the feedings, as with all corals, it does help at least a little bit, although it is definitely not needed and can be seen just as a small benefit. What is going on with your shroom is that it definitely is extending its mesenterial filaments, which contain stinging cells called nematocysts which are used to capture prey or in defense. Yesterday I dropped a rock on one of my bounce shrooms, and it extended its filaments as a defensive measure. Its possible that yours is just being bothered by this and using these filaments as defense, or its viewing the food as prey and trying to consume it. You only really know if it eats it or not.

 

[Lyss]

Eek. I hope it’s not something parasitic. It comes directly out the mushrooms mouth so can something live in a mushroom?

I bet it's a mesenterial filament, and it seems like that's what the going consensus is. I've only seen them in my corals when they're stressed or attacking another coral so I can't speak to if they use them to feed. My mushrooms close up on meaty food to eat it.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Appreciate the clarification. Was just using tentacle as a descriptive feature but this is the kind of educational stuff I was looking for.

A good example is a cup mushroom aka "True Elephant Ear" mushroom. They activly use theirs to capture prey that the lure in. They are then used to lock onto the prey, dissable it and then are retacted inside while grasping prey. This coupled with them "cupping" up is how they are able to consume the meal they just caught.

 

[Hoodstream]

Mushrooms definitely do feed, sometimes larger species can ingest some seriously big foods. When eating, they usually close up completely until you only see their foot. I used to feed my mushrooms, literally hundreds of rhodactis, mysis, oyster feast and reef roids. I definitely saw a benefit to the feedings, as with all corals, it does help at least a little bit, although it is definitely not needed and can be seen just as a small benefit. What is going on with your shroom is that it definitely is extending its mesenterial filaments, which contain stinging cells called nematocysts which are used to capture prey or in defense. Yesterday I dropped a rock on one of my bounce shrooms, and it extended its filaments as a defensive measure. Its possible that yours is just being bothered by this and using these filaments as defense, or its viewing the food as prey and trying to consume it. You only really know if it eats it or not.

I bet it's a mesenterial filament, and it seems like that's what the going consensus is. I've only seen them in my corals when they're stressed or attacking another coral so I can't speak to if they use them to feed. My mushrooms close up on meaty food to eat it.

A good example is a cup mushroom aka "True Elephant Ear" mushroom. They activly use theirs to capture prey that the lure in. They are then used to lock onto the prey, dissable it and then are retacted inside while grasping prey. This coupled with them "cupping" up is how they are able to consume the meal they just caught.

You’ve all been super helpful in the last few posts and to everyone else who took the time to comment thank you. I appreciate everyone’s responses and including articles or experience this is the type of education I was looking for on here. Cheers to everyone who posted!

 

[LRT]

I've noticed in my new tank and lower nutrient system that not only do my shrooms eat but perhaps maybe they have to eat meaty foods as there's just not enough of something that they need "in the water" and readily available. After water changes a huge majority of my shrooms will literally cup up when they smell food in the water. This is typically when I will throw an extra cube of mysis or fish eggs in the water and allow the heavenly meat fish food gods to rain meaty food down on them.
Feed them if they cup and act like they are hungry for sure.
Also watch your phosphates. I have a few that will bleach with 0 to minimal phosphates.

 

[Freenow54]

Well I will let the others argue. All I can tell you is that I would be very careful with reef roids. My son feed them that and the tank got filled with hair algae probably too much food

 

[Freenow54]

Sorry. Plus I have a tank that's over filled with mushrooms, and have never seen a feeder like you describe. Might be a hitch hiker

 

[LRT]

Reef pro has a much better option that hasn't done anything with my phosphates since I switched over.
Not necessary though if you can get your hands on fish eggs my shrooms love them.

 

[Hoodstream]

Reef pro has a much better option that hasn't done anything with my phosphates since I switched over.
Not necessary though if you can get your hands on fish eggs my shrooms love them.

Ooh I might try that fish store by me has eggs in a bottle. Don’t remember the brand.

Sorry. Plus I have a tank that's over filled with mushrooms, and have never seen a feeder like you describe. Might be a hitch hiker

Appreciate the response especially with reef roids, I did some googling after and also saw people say to avoid reef roids. can’t win sometimes.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Mushrooms do not feed directly.

lol! Of course they do. My discos love it when I feed pellets - they close up into balls and the ones that didn't have a piece fall on them get all puffy.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

lol! Of course they do. My discos love it when I feed pellets - they close up into balls and the ones that didn't have a piece fall on them get all puffy.

Evolution screwed up with the entire kingdom, and provided them all mouths, Even though they don't eat directly...


Sounds legit.