Lavender Mushroom causing nitrates?

I bought a colony of lavender mushrooms a few months ago and at the time some of the corals looked a little white, but were not shriveled up. The rest looked just fine. When I took it home I noticed it smelled absolutely horrible. I've worked in an ER and even going into the morgue with the air conditioning out doesn't compare to that smell.

Now the corals seem a little healthier, they are little bit less white, but it still smells worse than death. The LFS suggested the live rock that the corals are attached to may be going through an acclimation. While this may be true, I know the coral itself is what I smell because I reach my hard into the tank and touch only the coral then smell my hand. It's unmistakable. The weird thing though is that the perfectly healthy looking corals (no white at all) are just as stinky.

I could post a pic but you'd just see a boring picture of a couple of slightly white but otherwise healthy looking lavender mushrooms. I can if someone really wants one.

Whatever substance is causing that smell is constantly going into the water column. So my only question is whether or not this could cause or contribute to an excessive nitrate level?

Thanks for looking.

 

There may be something beneath the 'shrooms that is causing the smell. Run extra carbon and be prepared to do extra water changes. I am guessing you are smelling anaerobic bacteria waste products.

 

Does it smell like a rotten egg? There are a number of sulfate-reducing bacterium, such as Desulfovibrio spp, that can colonize the biofilm on the corals outer tissue. Some can even become endobiotic and live within the corals tissue.

 

Yes it does smell like rotten eggs, but then again I've never been good with my nose.

It seems like I might be better off just getting rid of the whole rock.

Thanks for the replies.

 

It's confirmed. Today my trate reading is down to 10ppm, apparently it was indeed due to the mushroom. Now what to do with this coral that is just sitting in the QT? lol

 

Wow that is strange. Maybe it will clear out after some more QT time.

 

Just let it cycle, it will probably be fine after a few weeks.


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