# Help with propagation of mushrooms



## Chrisphungg (Oct 8, 2012)

I have about 30 red mushrooms in my tank reef tank and I want to move about 10 of them to my other tank. Each of them are like 5-6" in diameter (They are huge) and grow really fast and spread a lot. How would I go about removing them from my main tank and placing them into the other tank. Should I cut the base of the foot or the top of the foot? I've read 2 different things about it. Also the "white guts" spilling if I cut it inside the tank. Also heard 2 different things about that too. People say it will wipe my tank if the white guts spill out.


----------



## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Chris,
Mushrooms are usually found in between crevices on the reefs, they dont like flow. If you put a rock beside the rock they are on and add flow they will usually move away from the flow and move onto the quieter rock. That would be the easiest way to move them. I would not manually remove them as you can damage them easily. Fuzzy type mushrooms are not as picky and are found in higher flow areas.


----------



## Chrisphungg (Oct 8, 2012)

Thanks! I'll try this. Im going to set up some frag stones beside a big batch of mushrooms and place a wavemaker directly at them. How long would it take usually?


----------



## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

I don't really like to use the "flow" method when I doing the real propagation. The main reason for most mushroom( including richordea). Instead of "moving" to a less flow place, they will simply let go and get blow away by the flow so it will drop at a place where water flow starts to die down. Mushroom are not anemone and they don't actively move around in the aquarium, so the most common way for them to find a better place is by carry the flow and land somewhere quiet. Also the water flow is a lot more destructive to the mushroom than actually cut it off. 
Here is a link you can use it as a reference. 
Mushroom and Ricordea Coral Propagation - FragOutpost.com

I did it the same way with my Ricordea before and working out quite nicely. I would suggest touse egg crate to build a container or frag rack, so water can flow thru freely. Place many small rubbles in it and after you cut off the mushroom and cut it off in half, you can just leave it laying at the bottom. Make sure no direct water flow should point at the rack/container so that your mushroom would stay at the bottom of the rack. If the water quality is good, the mushroom would stick to the rubble in about a week or so.


----------



## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Gently increasing the flow will encourage the mushroom to move away and onto another surface which is what Chris is looking to do. If the mushroom releases completely and ends up in a corner, all the better to remove and place in his other display. Chris is not asking about propogating them, he wants to move them. I dont see how this method would be more damaging then cutting them up?



aQ.LED said:


> I don't really like to use the "flow" method when I doing the real propagation. The main reason for most mushroom( including richordea). Instead of "moving" to a less flow place, they will simply let go and get blow away by the flow so it will drop at a place where water flow starts to die down. Mushroom are not anemone and they don't actively move around in the aquarium, so the most common way for them to find a better place is by carry the flow and land somewhere quiet. Also the water flow is a lot more destructive to the mushroom than actually cut it off.
> Here is a link you can use it as a reference.
> Mushroom and Ricordea Coral Propagation - FragOutpost.com
> 
> I did it the same way with my Ricordea before and working out quite nicely. I would suggest touse egg crate to build a container or frag rack, so water can flow thru freely. Place many small rubbles in it and after you cut off the mushroom and cut it off in half, you can just leave it laying at the bottom. Make sure no direct water flow should point at the rack/container so that your mushroom would stay at the bottom of the rack. If the water quality is good, the mushroom would stick to the rubble in about a week or so.


----------



## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

it is simply the answer to his thread title, the reason why I said it could do more dmage is pointing excessive amount of water flow to mushroom increase the stress level by a lot. You are saying the mushroom can move slowly to a different surface. I wouldn't doubt that could happen, but most of the time I see them get blow away directly instead of trying to move away from the flow and many times you find the mushroom got blow to somewhere hard to reach at the end and not able to get their feet settle properly. What I provide is just a proper way to propagate the mushroom or ricordea and mushroom. I also suggested it because I have tried it and it works great.

PS: This is not a competition nor a arguement on which method is better, those are just pure personal exp plus with 3rd party information on proper propagation method. Chris has the right to choose any ways, but I think he has the rights to hear from different opinions


----------



## albert_dao (May 28, 2012)

Just chip them off the rock. White guts won't kill your tank. That's preposterous. 

They're pretty hard to kill


----------



## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

albert_dao said:


> Just chip them off the rock. White guts won't kill your tank. That's preposterous.
> 
> They're pretty hard to kill


+1. Use something sharp like a razor blade (never use plastic knife like I did. You will mess up the water n destroy the mushroom as well). As long as you do it quick, there shouldn't be much damage. Then just simply place them on top of some rock rubbles like AQ.led said. Within a week they will attach themselves to the rocks then u can move them where ever you wish. Moving them with current... personally I have never tried it. I just don't have the patience to do so! Lol


----------



## whatcaneyedo (Oct 31, 2012)

Is there a good reason why you cant just move one of the rocks that is covered with mushrooms from your main tank to your second one? Thats the fastest, easiest, and least destructive way. If you do decide to cut them off and move them that way do note that any amount of tissue left behind on the rocks will likely form into a new mushroom.


----------



## Chrisphungg (Oct 8, 2012)

I can't take the big mushroom rock out because it is a really big piece and the tank I'm putting them in is a small tank


----------



## Flear (Dec 8, 2012)

i don't know anything about aquatic mushrooms, ... do they operate anything like terrestrial mushrooms ?


----------



## Chrisphungg (Oct 8, 2012)

I have no idea myself lol. All I know is, they are thriving in my tank and I want to move them to a smaller tank as well.


----------



## Flear (Dec 8, 2012)

freshwater person myself
if saltwater wasn't so expensive i'd be all over it. lots of colors and possibilities for those colors.
one day i will venture into it though


----------

