Scientific
Name: Discosoma and Actinodiscus sp.
Classification: Soft Coral
Common Names: Mushroom coral
Description:
Mushroom corals are colonies of individual flattened polyps related to anemones.
Mushroom corals can be from about 1" across to 1' across, although most in
the reef tank are 1" to 3" across. Color can range widely from
green, red, blue, purple or gray. They can be solid in color or stripped
with lines radiating from the center. There surface texture may be smooth
or fuzzy looking.
Natural Environment:
? This coral is normally collected in the wild, but it is easily
propagated.
Care:
Hardiness: Mushrooms are
extremely hardy and an excellent beginner coral. They will
survive in almost any type of reef tank setup.
Lighting: Will tolerate very low light levels, but does best under
moderate lighting. Very intense lighting may prevent the coral
from opening fully.
Water Current: Mushroom corals prefer low water motion.
Temperature: Does well within a range of at least 74º to 84º F.
Aggressiveness: Low. Although Mushrooms do not sting per se,
they do seem to have some means of chemical warfare and can cause recession in
SPS corals that they come into contact with. They may also reproduce
rapidly and encroach on their neighbors.
Feeding: Mushroom corals are photosynthetic and require no
feeding.
Supplements: No special requirement are noted, but may benefit from
iodine supplementation.
Tank Positioning: These specimens are usually placed near the bottom
of the tank since they are not very light demanding. They are great filler
corals to place between larger specimens.
