Actinodiscus sp. (Purple and Red Mushroom)

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: 4 november 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.

This mushroom originally came from this rock, I used a sharp knife to cut it lose. I put the knife directly on the rock (or as close as possible at least) and it seemed to have gone fine. On the rock a small purple point is already visible again (new one growing there?) and this one already attached to a new rock that it shares with a red mushroom and hopefully soon a red/brown mushroom. Currently still in a shot glass in the RSM.

Yesterday I sold my first 2 fragments. The rock with the biggest Kenya Tree fragment was sold and the rock with the 2 mushrooms on it. All together for 15 euro’s, 5 for each, not bad .
I sold them to BvN, a member from Het Nederlands en Belgisch zeewateraquarium. I already got a reply from him that he had placed them in the aquarium.

BvN wrote:Tnx De oortjes en keniaboom hebben ondertussen ook een plekje

Thanks. The mushrooms and Kenya Tree have found a spot now as well.

Hopefully we will see some pictures soon in his journal on the forum. He does keep a journal with pictures, so I’m pretty sure we haven’t seen the last of them.

This topic will continue on both mushrooms, so basicly the whole rock.

A picture appeared of the coral in it's new environment.

Mushrooms seem to be doing great. They are located on the left pillar at the bottom.

The aquarium is now running for 8 weeks and he put some pictures and a movie online showing how it looks now.

His aquarium is running fine, the purple mushroom split now.

And an overview:

Looks like he changed his aquarium around a bit again. Both corals I sold him still doing very well.