Mushroom Disease!

Discussion in 'Soft Corals' started by miltonreefer, Nov 10, 2011.

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  1. miltonreefer

    miltonreefer Plankton

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    Messages:
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    Recently I have noticed more and more mushrooms looking unhealthy and withered. It all started with one orange mushroom months ago. I assumed the mushroom was just in too little light and too much current. But now other previously thriving mushrooms all over the tank are suffering. There appears to be white worm-like areas on the affected mushrooms. Now that my prized monsterous elephant ear has the worm-like things on its underside I am serriously concerned. I need a postive ID of the problem and a solution ASAP!

    Nitrate 12 (up from the neighborhood of 0 less than 1 month ago
    though the mushroom problem has been slowly
    unfolding over several months)
    Phosphate 0
    Spec grav 1.024-1.025
    Temp 77-78.5
    Calcium 520
    KH 9
    Iodine 0.8
    PH 7.9-8.0 (down from 8.1 3 months ago)
     

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    miltonreefer, Nov 10, 2011
    miltonreefer, Nov 10, 2011
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  2. miltonreefer

    miltonreefer Plankton

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    No replies? How about some close up picks....
     

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    miltonreefer, Nov 17, 2011
    miltonreefer, Nov 17, 2011
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  3. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

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    Don't know what you are dealing with, but I would do an iodine dip and see how the worms react. I definitely think they are your problem.
     
    2in10, Nov 17, 2011
    2in10, Nov 17, 2011
    #3
  4. proreefer

    proreefer Feather Star

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    heck yea, i've never seen them before, there wierd looking and scary, 20 drops of logols solution in a half gallon of aquarium water those things may spread to other coral, dip them for 5 to 8 minutes then rinse and see if those things die. nuke em and nuke em good:eek:
     
    proreefer, Nov 17, 2011
    proreefer, Nov 17, 2011
    #4
  5. NanaReefer

    NanaReefer Fu Manchu Lion Fish

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    Your calcium is a bit on the high side. Do you mean 420?
     
    NanaReefer, Nov 17, 2011
    NanaReefer, Nov 17, 2011
    #5
  6. miltonreefer

    miltonreefer Plankton

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    No, my calcium stays between 460 and 520, that's according to my API test kit. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals and do frequent water changes. I've tested my fresh mixed water and its right at 520. I guess the few fast growing stony corals i have in the tank just aren't consuming it as fast as I'm replenishing it.
     
    miltonreefer, Nov 21, 2011
    miltonreefer, Nov 21, 2011
    #6

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  7. Reef-a-holic

    Reef-a-holic 3reef Sponsor

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    Are you sure those are worms? In the closeup photos they appear more like the mushrooms mesenterial filaments (aka the guts it uses to digest food). If so that is typically a stress reaction to something. I'm not sure what might be causing it however. I think I would agree that an iodine dip wouldn't hurt at this point. If it is being cause by a "predator" (even a protozoan one) that should yield results.
     
    Reef-a-holic, Nov 21, 2011
    Reef-a-holic, Nov 21, 2011
    #7