Is this normal mushroom behavior?

[Scottrshoe]

I woke up this morning to find my Ricordea eating one of my peppermint shrimp. It looks like it may have been in the process of molting, but still... I kind of expect this sort of thing from my Duncan, but is this normal for mushrooms?

I snapped a pic, although it is not very good.

 

[Timfish]

Not "normal" but not surprising easier. Mushrooms can eat pretty large stuff if it happens to land on them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I woke up this morning to find my Ricordea eating one of my peppermint shrimp. It looks like it may have been in the process of molting, but still... I kind of expect this sort of thing from my Duncan, but is this normal for mushrooms?

I snapped a pic, although it is not very good.

You will find most corals with mouths will try to ingest what reaches their mouth with most using little muscles to move a potential food source to it. If it something they cant ingest, they will reject it.
Question is- Is it your shrimp or its molt.
Also, check your phosphate level as I see Red Cyano bacterial film next to it and you may have to address that issue before it affects your corals in whole.
Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

 

[Scottrshoe]

You will find most corals with mouths will try to ingest what reaches their mouth with most using little muscles to move a potential food source to it. If it something they cant ingest, they will reject it.
Question is- Is it your shrimp or its molt.
Also, check your phosphate level as I see Red Cyano bacterial film next to it and you may have to address that issue before it affects your corals in whole.
Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

Thank You! I have another thread posted about the red bloom. It IS indeed taking over the tank. It started with a GHA bloom, and now the red stuff is overtaking the GHA (all the stringy areas are from the underlying GHA). I appreciate the advice on getting rid of it, as I haven't a clue.

I have been battling very low nitrate.phosphate levels since the inception of the tank, which is about 8 months old now, even dosing NEONitrate/phosphate to help correct the deficiency. I will recheck my levels today and report back.

I have reduced my photo period and added a pouch of Chemipuri already, so I am glad I am on the right track. I will start dosing the hydrogen peroxide straight away, and will pick up some liquid bacteria today (is Microbacter7 a good option?)

I already have quite a few snails of various types, blue leg hermits and an emerald crab in the tank (along with another peppermint shrimp and a fire shrimp)...do I need to add more?

As for the shrimp, it was definitely not a molt. The mushroom finally released the carcass. I took the shell off and fed the shrimp to my duncan, who appreciated it very much

 

[Scottrshoe]

You will find most corals with mouths will try to ingest what reaches their mouth with most using little muscles to move a potential food source to it. If it something they cant ingest, they will reject it.
Question is- Is it your shrimp or its molt.
Also, check your phosphate level as I see Red Cyano bacterial film next to it and you may have to address that issue before it affects your corals in whole.
Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

My tank is a little over 6 months old. (20g IM AIO)

Salinity - 35
pH - 7.7
Nitrates - ~10
Phosphates - <0.03
Ca - 445
Mg - 1100
KH - 10.2
Temp - 78F

I have been dosing All For Reef daily for about 2.5 months and NeoNitrate and NeoPhos weekly for the same amount of time. My nitrates have come up, but phos has stayed the same. My KH has gone way up, but my Ca/Mg/pH have all actually dropped....not sure I understand that.

This red stuff has grow all over the GHA and rocks, and starting to see it on the corals and sand bed now...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank You! I have another thread posted about the red bloom. It IS indeed taking over the tank. It started with a GHA bloom, and now the red stuff is overtaking the GHA (all the stringy areas are from the underlying GHA). I appreciate the advice on getting rid of it, as I haven't a clue.

I have been battling very low nitrate.phosphate levels since the inception of the tank, which is about 8 months old now, even dosing NEONitrate/phosphate to help correct the deficiency. I will recheck my levels today and report back.

I have reduced my photo period and added a pouch of Chemipuri already, so I am glad I am on the right track. I will start dosing the hydrogen peroxide straight away, and will pick up some liquid bacteria today (is Microbacter7 a good option?)

I already have quite a few snails of various types, blue leg hermits and an emerald crab in the tank (along with another peppermint shrimp and a fire shrimp)...do I need to add more?

As for the shrimp, it was definitely not a molt. The mushroom finally released the carcass. I took the shell off and fed the shrimp to my duncan, who appreciated it very much

Stop the dosing of Neo products which are actually feeding the cyano and upsetting the mushroom causing chemical imbalances.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate. When the protein skimmer does not output the best efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created by the skimmer might be insufficient. And this insufficiency of air bubbles can trigger the cyano to thrive.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

Do as i mentioned above as it does work.

 

[Scottrshoe]

Stop the dosing of Neo products which are actually feeding the cyano and upsetting the mushroom causing chemical imbalances.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate. When the protein skimmer does not output the best efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created by the skimmer might be insufficient. And this insufficiency of air bubbles can trigger the cyano to thrive.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

Do as i mentioned above as it does work.

Thank You, again!

Some trouble areas that you mention, I am guilty of...

First - I have been fighting the 0/0 issues of too low nutrients. To help raise nutrients I have been dosing the NEO products you mentioned and have been doing infrequent water changes. From what you are saying, this was not an appropriate course of action to resolve the 0/0 problem?

Second - My tank does not have a protein skimmer. I have been relying on mechanical filtration and a hang on back refugium/chaeto for nutrient management. I guess I need to look into getting a skimmer...

Third - I have four fish in the tank and have been over feeding...also to combat the 0/0 problem...I'll cut back on the feeding...although my fish will hate me...lol.

I do only use RODI water in my tank, and I can increase the flow a little more to see if that helps.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank You, again!

Some trouble areas that you mention, I am guilty of...

First - I have been fighting the 0/0 issues of too low nutrients. To help raise nutrients I have been dosing the NEO products you mentioned and have been doing infrequent water changes. From what you are saying, this was not an appropriate course of action to resolve the 0/0 problem?

Second - My tank does not have a protein skimmer. I have been relying on mechanical filtration and a hang on back refugium/chaeto for nutrient management. I guess I need to look into getting a skimmer...

Third - I have four fish in the tank and have been over feeding...also to combat the 0/0 problem...I'll cut back on the feeding...although my fish will hate me...lol.

I do only use RODI water in my tank, and I can increase the flow a little more to see if that helps.

Not a guilt but things you now see what you can correct. Even a hang on skimmer like Ice Cap K1-50 will go a long way. I often see them used on the R@R Marketplace reasonably priced.

 

[Uncle99]

Thank You, again!

Some trouble areas that you mention, I am guilty of...

First - I have been fighting the 0/0 issues of too low nutrients. To help raise nutrients I have been dosing the NEO products you mentioned and have been doing infrequent water changes. From what you are saying, this was not an appropriate course of action to resolve the 0/0 problem?

Second - My tank does not have a protein skimmer. I have been relying on mechanical filtration and a hang on back refugium/chaeto for nutrient management. I guess I need to look into getting a skimmer...

Third - I have four fish in the tank and have been over feeding...also to combat the 0/0 problem...I'll cut back on the feeding...although my fish will hate me...lol.

I do only use RODI water in my tank, and I can increase the flow a little more to see if that helps.

1-is an appropriate way to manage nutrients at the beginning. Put them in the range, keep them stable, not rise, no fall say over a week at a time.
2-skimmer is not mandatory especially if your 0/0. Good for aeration tank PH though.
3-if you cut back on the feeding, that’s lowers nutrient availability, counterproductive to the issue. Feed more if you like, it will take time for this process to show up on tests.

Cyano ( and Dino’s) can just show up when our waters become unstable, large fluctuations in temp or Alk, or lack of nutrient availability which the good guy bacteria and algae need to outcompete that red crap.

Suck it all out.
Ensure stability of temp and Alk.
Maintain stable nutrient levels.

And that stuff will just go away as in the end, good guys win provided we give them the environment they like. The problem with the good guys is they are slower to populate, whereas the bad….seems like overnight.

 

[Scottrshoe]

1-is an appropriate way to manage nutrients at the beginning. Put them in the range, keep them stable, not rise, no fall say over a week at a time.
2-skimmer is not mandatory especially if your 0/0. Good for aeration tank PH though.
3-if you cut back on the feeding, that’s lowers nutrient availability, counterproductive to the issue. Feed more if you like, it will take time for this process to show up on tests.

Cyano ( and Dino’s) can just show up when our waters become unstable, large fluctuations in temp or Alk, or lack of nutrient availability which the good guy bacteria and algae need to outcompete that red crap.

Suck it all out.
Ensure stability of temp and Alk.
Maintain stable nutrient levels.

And that stuff will just go away as in the end, good guys win provided we give them the environment they like. The problem with the good guys is they are slower to populate, whereas the bad….seems like overnight.

Thanks for the input!

I guess I just don't know which battle to fight... low nutrients, or cyano/GHA...it seems that the treatment for one leads to the other...lol.

I was able to blow off almost all of the cyano with a turkey baster, then syphon the majority of it out with a 30% water change. Looks a lot better for now, I just don't know for how long.

 

[Uncle99]

Thanks for the input!

I guess I just don't know which battle to fight... low nutrients, or cyano/GHA...it seems that the treatment for one leads to the other...lol.

I was able to blow off almost all of the cyano with a turkey baster, then syphon the majority of it out with a 30% water change. Looks a lot better for now, I just don't know for how long.

Absolutely correct! Perfect, step one complete…if it returns, remove it through a sock and return the water. Do this until it doesn’t come back.

Now it’s time for stable waters to “feed” the stuff we want, but these guys are more diverse and take longer to populate than stuff like Cyano.

I am a supporter of daily small live phyto doses to help things move faster. A one time hit of diverse pods.

It will try and come back, But it will go, if water chemistry remains virtually unchanged, and better they will not return, leaving rocks clean, sand white.

 

[Scottrshoe]

Absolutely correct! Perfect, step one complete…if it returns, remove it through a sock and return the water. Do this until it doesn’t come back.

Now it’s time for stable waters to “feed” the stuff we want, but these guys are more diverse and take longer to populate than stuff like Cyano.

I am a supporter of daily small live phyto doses to help things move faster. A one time hit of diverse pods.

It will try and come back, But it will go, if water chemistry remains virtually unchanged, and better they will not return, leaving rocks clean, sand white.

I do add Reef Nutrition's Phyto feast a few times a week, and have dosed pods a couple of times to my HOB Refugium. My Nitrates have never been above 10, even without doing many water changes, and phosphates are still >0.03 and have never budged. So, I really didn't think my nutrient levels were ever a problem, even though I was feeding Reef roids rather heavily...maybe light is my biggest offender here, since I do tend to have a long photo period? I have been battling GHA for quite a while before this cyano bloom.

 

[Scottrshoe]

You will find most corals with mouths will try to ingest what reaches their mouth with most using little muscles to move a potential food source to it. If it something they cant ingest, they will reject it.
Question is- Is it your shrimp or its molt.
Also, check your phosphate level as I see Red Cyano bacterial film next to it and you may have to address that issue before it affects your corals in whole.
Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

I am coming up on a week of treatment now, and since my water change, the cyano bloom is back in full swing. Is it safe to continue with the hydrogen peroxide and liquid bacteria treatments? Should I continue (along with water changes) until the issue resolves?

I have been dosing the hydrogen peroxide in front of my wave pump. I am noticing that the rock directly in front of it is clear of cyano on top...should I rotate where I dose to cover more rock surface?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am coming up on a week of treatment now, and since my water change, the cyano bloom is back in full swing. Is it safe to continue with the hydrogen peroxide and liquid bacteria treatments? Should I continue (along with water changes) until the issue resolves?

I have been dosing the hydrogen peroxide in front of my wave pump. I am noticing that the rock directly in front of it is clear of cyano on top...should I rotate where I dose to cover more rock surface?

Dose peroxide in the sump at return pump for even disbursement. While you can continue the bacteria and peroxide even another week- Light is the main factor here. Keep those white down and assure the nitrate and phosphate are both not elevated and that test numbers are accurate.