Mushroom "polyp extension(?)" question

[jag3534]

Ok, this may be a somewhat stupid question, but here goes.... Is it a good, bad or indifferent when your mushrooms spread out huge? I remember reading something a while back saying that it can be a bad thing, indicating that your lighting is insufficient, so they are spreading out the zooaxanthelae(sp?), but on the other hand, they obviously grow, right? :idea: The point is, all the mushrooms in our tanks grow really big, really fast. One that we got around two months ago was maaayyybe an inch in diam, and is now at least three inches, and two more that were a half inch a month ago and are now easily an inch. So whats it mean?

 

[luisse25]

i read that when theyre cupping that means theyre not happy and they reaching for light...i have some shrooms in a shade and they extend small..then once i move them to more light they expand really good..its like the opposite..so maybe yours is happy,im not sure..sometimes when they expand really big they lose that solid color because the flesh is so stretch out..i hope somebody here knows more about shrooms expansion...

 

[jag3534]

makes sense to me. Yeah, im sure there is some shroom expert out there somewhere with the answer!

 

[pufferdady]

I'm no shroom expert but, I'd say they were unhappy when you bought them and now they're settling in and happy. I have a bunch and all change size when the light is in different stages. They get biggest at the peak of the day, before the hallides go out, sometimes 3 or 4 times their size at night.

 

[pufferdady]

I was just thinking flow like a powerhead ect. also plays a big role in how much they expand. Alot of times they shrink up pretty small if they're in a direct current.

 

[jag3534]

Yeah, we don't have a ton of flow in that tank, since it sort of beats up the softies. Its just crazy how big these guys are getting! These are some of the biggest mushrooms i've seen, and it seems weird that it would be my tank that would do it, when I've seen so many nicer tanks.... you know what I mean, i just want to make sure they're not light deprived and thats the reason for spreading out so large. It doeslook cool though!

 

[Crystalclear125]

most mushroom will spread out if they are happy. Mine are just crazy big. there are a few i have that the crabs wont stay off. and they get so little you can't see them very well. be glad yours are big and opened.