Actniodiscus mushrooms detaching, problem?

[dastratt]

Sorry if this is yet another standard newbie question. I've been surfing here several months but may have missed it.

My 9 mo old softie tank seems to be healthy, so I'm hoping this is not a problem:

I've had a 6" rock with about 10-12 red mushrooms

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=667

for a couple of months, and they seem to be growing and spreading on the rock and somewhat covering each other. A few days ago, one of the larger ones seemed to be loose with its foot nearly detached. Then the other day it must have detached and it was on another group of rocks. Now a small one has done the same thing but it must have dissappeared inside the main formation.

I'm assuming this is "normal" in this situation and doesn't indicate a problem? Other than these guys are going to get chewed up in a PH (Or take over the tank in a year or so? :) )

What do you folks think?
:confused:
:twitch:

[navajo]

Completely normal. One of the ways they spread. That's why some people really don't like them. Sort of intrusive.

[dastratt]

Thanks Tom.

[Ken-21]

That's the way they infect your tank. Yes, I said infect....Once they get used to your tank they will detach and float around until they hook on to another rock. They are strong stingers and have caused many of my corals to close up. They're almost impossible to get off a rock too! If you tear them off (something you should avoid at all costs) they will release a toxin in defense and will regrow back in that same spot anyway plus the tiny pieces you miss will also gro into new ones. Good luck!

[dastratt]

Ken-21
Thanks -- I have a feeling I'm headed for trouble with this tank. I have some rapidly expanding zoos plus GSP, xenia (though its not growing much yet), all have a reputation for taking over a tank. I did envision I could frag them at some point and start a prop tank if things get out of control.

But how do you get these mushrooms up? Or do you just have to kill the ones you don't want, like with Joes Juice?

[sttroyiii]

You got the idea right. I just pried one off of a rock using the corner of a straight razor blade. Once you get it started, it gets easier. It looks like some intestines are on the underside of the foot, but its reattached now and doing fine. So far I have heard of people cutting them in pieces and they grow back, they split in half themselves, and you can cut one off at the base and both the stump and the shroom will survive. I just had one stretch out its foot and seperate into a new tiny mushroom, and now a week later the same shroom is splitting the mouth in half I assume to make another. You can inject them with stuff to kill them. Or you can pry them off and put them in a container with rubble and they will attach in a couple of days.

[navajo]

Yes, you can frag a shroom by cutting off it's "head" and cutting it into pieces like a pizza. As long as there is a tiny mouth part on the piece, it will come back fine.

As far as controlling them, good luck. I have heard Joe's Juice works but havn't tried it myself.