Mushrooms in my tank

Most corals do well in my tank, I keep a few SPS pieces closer to the top of the tank and they are growing. LPS, zoas, xenias, etc. all growing, I even have a carnation leather that's doing OK and from what I've read these are very difficult to keep. However, I tried a few red mushrooms a few months after I setup the tank and they didn't do well, I still have them but they haven't multiplied, instead they faded in color and are about 1/3 the size of when I got them. I tried moving them around the tank ove tha last year, nothing. I bought a few more 2 days ago and they were much bigger at the LFS...I keep them on the sandbed. I thought mushrooms were on the easier side to keep and more of a beginner coral.

Questions:
1) Do I have too much light for mushrooms (6x54w T5s on my 75g DT)
2) Too much flow? My tank has quite a bit of flow, 2xK4s and a MAG9.5 return. I used to have a K3 running also but I took it out.

Any suggestions?

My Parms (I had these doubled check at the LFS just incase my kits were wrong):
SG: 1.025
pH: 8.0-8.2
Alk: 9 dkh
Temp: 78-80
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: undetectable
Phosphate: undetectable
Ca: 420
Mg: 1300

My tank is ~13 months old, 75g DT, 55g sump w/ ~7" DSB

 

Your parameters seem to be fine. If it's too much flow, the small abbreviated version of the mushrooms you bought would be visibly moving quite a bit. If that's the case, then that could be your issue.

I've had times during which far less hardy corals fared quite well while my mushrooms exhibited the same symptoms you describe. They faded a bit in color, shrunk a bit in size, while growth and multiplying was absolutely out of the question. In my case, I knew it wasn't flow, because my flow had not changed from the time when they were previously doing well.

My gut feeling here is that your water quality is too good--silly as that might sound. In the past, I've read posts where xenia and mushrooms failed to thrive while much harder to keep corals, did.

I recall Missionsix mentioning over a year ago that despite all his efforts, he simply could not keep mushrooms in his tank. So we have a verified paradox here--what you heard about mushrooms being easy to keep and a perfect coral for the beginner; is true. However there are still those who have difficulty keeping them while their carnations and flowerpots thrive.

Go figure. :-/

 

Thanks, that's the only other thing I can think of....water too clean. I feed phyto plankton, cyclopeez, frozen mysis, brine, flake and nori for the tangs...not all at the same time or on the same day....I mix it up, no specific schedule. Maybe I'm skimming too wet.

I also dose coral amino, coral vitamin and lugals (in very small amounts a few times a week) and do weekly ~20g water changes...I could probably switch to bi-weekly.

 

i would try some direct doses of iodine and a trace elements (or anything close to it). when i fragged my mushrooms they weren't doing to great, i did a direct dose a few times of iodine and they are doing better than ever.

 

I know Iodine will work in most cases for xenia... but mushrooms I am not sure. And you shouldnt dose iodine if your not testing for it. But thats a rule that is often broken for iodine

 

I'm in the same boat as you with the mushrooms. I have two varieties and they both shrank. I thought it was too much light - 6x54W t5s on a 72g tank which is essentially the same as you. I've moved them under the shade of a huge colt coral I have. They look a little better but not great. Everything else seems to be thriving in my tank including Xenia. If you figure out the answer please let me know.

 

AS Reefsparky mentioned the water could be to clean or to much flow and to much light are what affect mushrooms. as for not dividing if there a propagated tank raised mushroom they will divide much much faster then if there a wild caught specimen.
and from my experience red ones seem to split a little slower then other colors.