Actinodiscus sp. (Purple Mushrooms)

Source: liveaquaria.com

QUICK STATS

• Care Level: Easy
  
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
  
• Lighting: Moderate
  
• Waterflow: Low to Medium
  
• Placement: All
  
• Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
  
• Color Form: Blue, Purple, Green
  
• Origin: Indonesia
  
• Family: Actinodiscidae/Discosomatidae
  
• Insert Date: 10 July 2010

The Actinodiscus Mushrooms are also referred to as Mushroom Anemones and Disc Anemones. They were previously in a genus called Discosoma. These invertebrates display a wide variety of colors, textures, and patterns. Some are solid colors, such as the blue specimen pictured above, whereas, others are striped or spotted. The taxonomy of the various species is in a state of flux, and will probably continue to change.
They are hardy and moderately easy to maintain, and under the right conditions, will multiply and spread very rapidly. In general, they need a medium light level, and should be placed lower in the tank if the light intensity is high. The Actinodiscus Mushrooms prefer a low to medium water flow within the aquarium, although different species may have different requirements. They are semi-aggressive and require adequate space between themselves and other corals and sessile invertebrates. Each ships as several individual mushrooms attached to one rock.

An Actinodiscus Mushrooom receives some of its nutritional requirements through the photosynthesis of the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which it hosts. It also feeds on other nutrients and particulate matter and benefits from additional food in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp fed to each polyp of the colony.

The rock rotated and moved a bit. Hard to place due to the shape of the rock and the locations of the mushrooms.

The rock full of purple mushrooms we got 2 months ago doesn’t seem to have changed much. It has moved around a couple of times, because it was hard to place. But all the mushrooms are still there and everything looks fine.

The rock with purple mushrooms is doing fine, even with their new friend who moved onto the rock, a brownish mushroom.

And also removed some Planaria from the mushrooms