Fun Discovery!

[curator]

While sitting staring into my tank recently, I noticed a filament about three inches long,extending from one of my mushroom corals. At first I thought it was algae, but then noticed it was moving...being retrected back to the coral. Am I correct in assuming that this is how mushrooms eat? What fun!

 

[stroid]

Shrooms have a mouth just like nems do. From what ive seen is once a piece of food falls on the shroom it will close up and move the food to its mouth and eat it. The mouth is very distinct and is usually in the center of the shroom. What you are describing sounds like the feeder tenticles of an LPS. Hope that makes sense.

 

[curator]

Stroid, does that mean if I use a turkey baster to place a morsel of food on the mushroom, I should be able to see it feed? What food do you suggest?

 

[stroid]

yeah definitly Curator if you spray some mysis on your shroom it should eat it up. Mine close up if a couple pellets of fish food land on it. pretty cool if you ask me ill try to dig up a picture. Mushrooms from my experience arent to picky and will eat just about anything.

 

[curator]

What are mysis?

 

[stroid]

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The mouth is the circle in the center.

Mysis shrimp---you can buy them at almost every fish store frozen.

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[curator]

Thanks! Can't wait to try it!

So about the threads that get pulled in under the mushrooms...what could they be?

 

[stroid]

not sure what filament your are talking about can you get a picture or maybe find one online and post it.

 

[roundman]

<span style="font-family: Arial;">Could be these check out this website</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Digitate hydroids</span>
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[stroid]

I think Rawn is spot on with this one that is probably what it is.