Family: Discosomatidae (den Hartog, 1980) | Actinodiscidae (Carlgren, 1949)
Genus: Actinodiscus (=Discosoma)
Common Species: Because so many variants are seen by aquarium keepers, the true number of species are unknown.
Common Names: Mushrooms, Mushroom Corals, Mushroom Anemones, Disc Anemones.
Captive Care Notes: Not responding well to bright lights or heavy currents, to allow for maximal expansion and reproduction, these corals are best kept under low lighting conditions (fluorescent lighting is ideal) with little water movement. Safe with fish, crustaceans and motile invertebrates, but should not be placed next to other soft and stony corals and sessile invertebrates, because of the detrimental effect they can have on them. Using a highly-developed mucus capture and transport system, these corals derive nutrients by collecting and ingesting particulate matter suspended in the water around them, and from their zooxanthellae.
Care Level: Easy. Good starter corals for beginners.
Photo Gallery: Mushroom Corals
