Mushroom colors

[Thunderkat]

I have some mushrooms that were blue when I originally bought them, after being in my first tank for a while they turned light purple. Then after being in my temporary tank for a few weeks they turned a velvety flourescent green.

Does anybody know why or how mushrooms accomplish this? I am not complaining about the color and I hope some of them retain the velvety green but this morning two of them were lavender/light purple again after moving them back to my main tank.

[GaryP]

They adjust to different light conditions by producing pigments. Its not uncommon for them to go from blue to purple or vice versa, but I have never heard of them turning green from blue/purple.

Also, the light in your tank may make them look a different color then what you see them in an LFS.

[blueboy]

my blue shroom in my main tank under 250W DEs turned almost white. the ones in the mantis tank under 16W PC are still nice and blue.

[GaryP]

I've had blue shrooms turn white under intense lights too. They eventually move back into sheltered areas where they weren't getting blasted with MH light. The Rhodactis and Ricordea seem to do better under bright light than the Discosoma.

[jaded]

most corals will actually produce sunblock if they are in high light situation... it's actually the zooxathea that produce the sublock, but you get the general idea

[GaryP]

The corals also produce pigments.

[jaded]

sure they do but Borneman suggests that the pigments that are effected by light are from zooxnathea. Of course I'm no scientist, but thats what I read.

One way or the other TK... I wouldnt sweat the color changes its almost undoubtedly due to the light changes

[blueboy]

yeah, i moved the blue under an overhang a few weeks ago, i'll see if it changes back. hope so