Pretty Lady Discosoma Mushroom

 Rhodactis Mushroom Care

Rhodactis Mushroom Care: Rhodactis mushrooms are a great choice for both beginning hobbyists looking for hardy additions to their reef tank as well as experienced collectors looking to add a potentially rare showpiece to their aquarium. These corallimorphs come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, some of which are highly sought-after by reef enthusiasts. In fact, the most expensive coral in the market today is a variety of Rhodactis called a Bounce Mushroom. Luckily for most hobbyists, the vast majority of these mushrooms are affordably priced and do not command a king’s ransom. Please see below for additional care tips for Rhodactis as well as checking out our Top 5 Tips for setting up a reef.

 Location

Rhodactis corallimorphs, commonly referred to as "hairy mushrooms" are found all over the Indo-Pacific. They are commonly harvested from the islands of the Indopacific including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.

 Lighting

We generally keep our Rhodactis mushrooms in lower light. Mushrooms in general do not respond favorably to extremely bright light and in some cases can develop white scarring as a result of oxide radicals in their bodies.

Low Light

Low light translates to about 30-50 PAR

Medium Light

Medium Light is between 50-150 PAR

High Light

High Light is anything over 150 PAR

Lighting is a loaded topic, so for a more in-depth discussion of lighting, please see our Deep Dive article.

 Water Flow

We recommend keeping the mushrooms in a relatively low flow area of the reef display. Too much flow could cause this particular species to become stressed and not extend fully. Some of the best extension we see in mushrooms is due to low flow.

 Feeding

Rhodactis mushrooms can be fed. Some species feed more aggressively than others, but most will fold up over meaty foods into an onion-like shape. Very large Rhodactis like the Elephant Ear variety can consume fish by anesthetizing them as they swim close and then swallowing them as they sleep.

 Propagation

This genus for the most part has been propagated extensively in captivity and is an excellent candidate for aquaculture. It is reasonable to believe that a sustainable harvest can be achieved in time.

 Acclimation

Proper acclimation is extremely important considering the stress imposed on the animals by the shipping process. Please take a moment to review our Acclimation Guide.

 Photography

The images were taken with a Canon 5D mk II and 100mm macro lens under T5 Fluorescent lighting. Quite a lot goes into how we go about shooting the corals and anemones you see on Tidal Gardens. For an in-depth look at our methods, check out our comprehensive Reef Aquarium Photography FAQ.