Melting Mushroom Mystery

[LCDRDATA]

Over the past day or so, my large colony of green & white discoma mushrooms has begun to disintegrate at an accelerating rate, moving down the rock they're growning on.

Historically, although there has been some fluctuation, the entire field of view here should be populated with these discomas, and remnants of some are visible toward the top.

Here is a closer view of the above shot:

I took these pics last night; since then the 'shroom in the upper left is essentially gone.

 

I am especially confused because these things have been essentially bulletproof over the four year life of my tank, including nitrate spikes and a full-blown tank crash. I need to check my parameters (planning to test today) but everything else in the tank seems to be doing fine. Any thoughts as to 1) what is causing this, and 2) what, if anything, I can do about it?

Edited September 29, 2012 by LCDRDATA

[dcreefer]

I agree with what you said. Check your tank parameters (don't forget calcium)and what has changed lately?

 

Have you increased your light cycle, new bulbs perhaps? Are you using tap water or RO/DI? If RO/DI have you changed your media lately?

 

Fairfax Water uses chlorine for disinfection purposes, which can be harmful to fish if not dechlorinated prior to placing fish in it. Fairfax Water utilizes two types of chlorine, free chlorine and chloramines (chlorine and ammonia mixture). Chloramines are normally used July - March, and free chlorine is generally used April - June. Free chlorine and chloramine dechlorination is performed differently. Chemical additives with directions for dechlorinating either free chlorine or chloramine from water for use in fish tanks or ponds are available at pet/fish supply stores.

(This is taken from the Fairfax water website)

 

I think I saw in another post that RO/DI may need a different media for chloramine versus free chlorine...

 

Check out this site:

http://www.thefilterguys.biz/chloramine_filters.htm

 

It explains that we should be using a carbon filter to deal with chloramine before it gets to our RO/DI filter. It also says that chloramine will break down carbon quickly, so we will have to remember that when we are using tap water with this as an additive.

 

Hope that was answer was not to long.

[LCDRDATA]

I agree with what you said. Check your tank parameters (don't forget calcium)and what has changed lately?

 

Have you increased your light cycle, new bulbs perhaps? Are you using tap water or RO/DI? ...

I haven't changed my light cycle, although ~ two weeks ago I replaced the glass top with screen. I've always used RO/DI water, and the last time I changed my media (~ two months ago) I added a filter specifically designed to take care of chloramine as well as chlorine. Again, it's only affecting the green & white mushrooms, and even then, only those in the main colony; a few that have drifted off and reattached elsewhere (at least those I can see) are unaffected, as well as a few other mushrooms scattered around the tank. I just don't understand what's happening here - nothing else has changed.

Edited September 30, 2012 by LCDRDATA

[flooddc]

I have a green mushroom (6" diameter) that melted away all the suddenly, but a couple of baby one just grow back in it's place. Maybe reproduction process???

[Jon Lazar]

I haven't changed my light cycle, although ~ two weeks ago I replaced the glass top with screen.

 

My tank has an acrylic center brace, and salt buildup there really reduces the light getting into the tank. You may have increased the light levels by removing the glass top and adding the screen. But IME changes in lighting cause mushrooms to bleach and shrink, not to melt away.

 

What you've got looks like the effects of a neighboring coral with nocturnal sweepers. Any chance you have a head of euphyllia or galaxia nearby? Sweepers of 6"+ are not uncommon.

[LCDRDATA]

I have a green mushroom (6" diameter) that melted away all the suddenly, but a couple of baby one just grow back in it's place. Maybe reproduction process???

No, these things have reproduced like crazy for four years and have never done anything like this. What they have done is either attach at a second location and split, or bail off the rock completely leaving a stub that grows back into a full mushroom while the cap floats off and anchors itself somewhere else.

 

My tank has an acrylic center brace, and salt buildup there really reduces the light getting into the tank. You may have increased the light levels by removing the glass top and adding the screen. But IME changes in lighting cause mushrooms to bleach and shrink, not to melt away.

 

I'm definitely getting more light into the tank now, which is why I've cut back my photoperiod. Plus if I was burning them with too much light I'd think the other corals would be bleaching as well, which they aren't.

 

What you've got looks like the effects of a neighboring coral with nocturnal sweepers. Any chance you have a head of euphyllia or galaxia nearby? Sweepers of 6"+ are not uncommon.

 

I have a neon green hammer below and in front of the rock in question, but I've never seen it put out sweepers and it's been there for months if not a year, so unless the new light suddenly made it decide to start sweeping in the dark that wouldn't seem to be it, either.

 

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions, though. I'm happy to consider any and all possibilities before the rock is completely naked.

[jaddc]

Well, that's weird. I'm assuming all your params were normal?

 

The mushrooms (I have the same kind) actually caused my euphyllia to retract, so I had to cut the 'shroom to make space.

 

If the params are good, and you don't have any of the usual stinging coral, then it sounds like an infection of some sort. The necrosis (melting) of the shrooms is an indicator. Now what to do about that? Not a clue.

[Jan]

Too much light, new light, low KH, high KH, brown jelly disease, high phosphates, high nitrates, high alk....the list goes on. What are you parameters?

 

Looks like brown jelly to me.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Jan

[Coral Hind]

It looks like a brown jelly infection as Jan said. If the rock is small and be removed give it an iodine bath. Increasing the flow seems to also help. Siphon out the dead ones as soon as you see them so the issue doesn't spread.

[LCDRDATA]

It looks like a brown jelly infection as Jan said. If the rock is small and be removed give it an iodine bath. Increasing the flow seems to also help. Siphon out the dead ones as soon as you see them so the issue doesn't spread.

Brown jelly is my thought also. When that showed up 2 1/2 years ago, I lost a number of corals, despite increased flow and iodine treatments - interestingly the victims were all LPS and the neighboring 'shrooms (these same discomas) were untouched. So, I guess the "good" news is that so far it's only the discomas this time. I've increased the flow and have been siphoning them out several times a day; unfortunately the rock is one of the foundation pieces of my aquascape and can't be moved. I guess another "bright side" is that when this is all done I'll have a large piece of real estate to repopulate however I want.