mushrooms aren't opening as big...

[Liz]

My mushrooms aren't opening as big as they used to. The only additives I use are calcium and Iodine, the only difference now is I had removed the phosphate remover "mud" and my phosphates are higher. Like 0.8. Would high phosphates cause my mushrooms to close up?

 

[dorkfish]

How long has this been going on?

 

[Liz]

I've had them a month or two maybe and I was just looking at pics of my tank from when I first got them and realized they aren't opening as big anymore... i think it's been a gradual thing, not a sudden overnight thing since I didn't really notice.

Also, I barely do water changes because I only have one small fish in the tank (65 gallons) and my nitrates are at about 15 and don't really go above that, maybe the lack of water changes means the nutrients are getting depleted?
Also I have rotifers and cyclops to feed them. How often should I feed them? I've only been feeding them like twice a week, that could be it.

 

[dorkfish]

It could just be an increase in lighting between the store tank(s) and your tank, they only expand as much as they need to. It could also be the feeding, if you feed them, they don't need to as expand as much to make their food.

I personally find feeding shrooms to be unnecessary.

 

[jguzman]

I have a couple of shrooms and rics in my tank, and im feeding my tank small cocktail once a week with phytoplankton, oyster eggs, and rotifers. I also target feed my rics and brains mysis shrimp, and they love it!!! My shrooms and rics have multiplied and the colors they have are increidable!