red boring mushroom turning awesome colors

riosf63 · Mar 27, 2012

I've had this guy, well it started as one, in my tank for a long time. Its been through hell and back with my tank. When I started I had no idea what I was doing. I was the reptile specialist at a Petco and decided to start a reef tank. This piece fell off a big colony of mushrooms we were selling, so I took it for myself. It started off a real dark red color and was like that for two years. I recently did some big changes in my tank changed the aquascape and put T-5 lighting in. Not sure what type of mushroom it is but over the past month The mushrooms have lost most of the red color have taken up shades of orange, yellow, green, and some pink.
This isn't the greatest pictue but its the best I can take with my iPhone. This is the first picture I'm actually posting on here so hope you guys enjoy it.

Russellaqua · Mar 27, 2012

It looks like the mushroom in the center of the photo has tentacles going up the side of the mouth, but it's hard to confirm that with the others in the picture because of the angle the photo was taken at. If they do have small tentacles going up the side of the mouth, they're Ricordea yuma. If there are no tentacles on the side of the mouth, then they're Ricordea florida. Based on coloration I lean towards R. yuma, as this "muted" rainbow is more commonly seen in this species when compared to R. florida. Either way those are some nice colors there, and it looks like they're happy in your tank.

riosf63 · Mar 27, 2012

I just want to clear this up real quick. I'd edit my post if I knew how. I received a PM advising, not accusing me which I appreciate, that it sort of came off in my post that I stole the mushroom in question. At Petco if something broke off or came unattatched like that more often then not the person in charge of the fish department would have thrown it away. He was very old fasioned in the way he did things, and would have bothered trying to get it to reattatch itself to the rock. I cleared it with the stores general manager before I left the store with it. I really don't know anyone else on here but I didn't want to be thought of as a thief.

mallorieGgator · Mar 27, 2012

Looks cool! They are ricordia yuma mushrooms, my favorites of the mushroom family. They likely changed in color due to a quick change in your tank parameters and lighting.

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spscrazy · Mar 27, 2012

those are really pretty pretty neat how they changed color

caudill187 · Mar 27, 2012

Congratulations on your find. That's an unusual looking mushroom. You must have had some good karma in the bank. I love it when things turn super awesome in our tanks !!

CardsFan · Mar 27, 2012

mallorieGgator said:
Looks cool! They are ricordia yuma mushrooms, my favorites of the mushroom family. They likely changed in color due to a quick change in your tank parameters and lighting.

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