Shade for fish?

I have begun to notice that the area under the large toadstool leather I have been posting about last couple of months and threatening to radically prune back soon...(re. Toadstool Leather Growth) has increasingly become a community gathering place for many of the fish in the tank.

Fish that generally just schooled about tank all day, or took spells hiding out in rock, now spend allot of time just hanging out in shade under large Sarcophyton.

Not just a couple of them, but most, Maroons, Tang, Coral Beauty, Damsels and Wrasses...often several different kinds together. And for relatively long periods. The Maroons hang out there almost exclusively during day, with little excursions out to anems now and then.







Makes me think of Indonesian fishermen I would go out with in Bali, Indonesia, that would build large floating "islands" made out of bamboo, haul them out to sea, let them sit for day or two, then run net around in middle of day and wind up catching lots and all kinds of fish, that had been hanging out in shade of float.


While increasing size of toadstool has forced relocation of some other corals, am reconsidering thought of drastically cutting it back.

Fish seem to like it. esp. as shade is directly under MH light.

Actually effect of shading is significantly reduced as the coral expands and contracts and even leans different directions over day...there is a forest of Kenya trees growing well directly under it along with some mushrooms. Apparently they get all the light they need over day to thrive.


If fish like it, it is going to stay way it is. At least as long as I don't notice any adverse effects...




Really is awfully pretty, and am glad I came up with good excuse not to cut it up (at least for now). ;D

 

Very interesting.....

 

Your six line seriously stays still for 1/2 a second even under the toadstool? I thought they were all restless? Real nice pic again.

 

your tank look great! I think you should definitely keep it the way it is, it adds another really interesting aspect to you tank

 

Nice observation Omard. I have a starry blenny that just chills in my green polyped toadstool ALL day. It's really funny. It's almost like a clown hosting an anenome or somthing.

 

Not so much shade compared to this bad boy....

 

Now that is a monster!

It just might need an appointment with an exacto knife soon...

 

it's like a wal-mart parking lot for your fish!!!! lol tank looks really nice too btw

 

Can all mushrooms get that big or just certain ones?

 

It's beautiful! I just love these relationships in tanks. It's like, "We're mixed nuts but we're all nuts so lets get along!" If only we humans...well, you know!!!

That pic right there is just one reason I'm hooked after only 6 weeks.