Mushroom Coral (Discosoma nummiforme)

Mushroom Coral Discosoma nummiforme
Name	Mushroom Coral
Name Lat.	Discosoma nummiforme
Family	Discosomids
Family lat.	Discosomidae
Order	Coral Anemones
Order lat.	Corallimorpharia
Origin	Indo-West Pacific
Diet	Planktivore, autotrophic
pH	8.1-8.4
Hardness	8-10 °KH
Lighting	Medium-high
Current	Moderate
Behavior	Semi-aggressive
Keeping	Colony
Care Level	Easy
Life Span	N/A
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	6-8 cm
Temperature	24-28 °C
Salinity	33-36 ‰
Aquarium	200 l
US Units
Size	2.4"-3.1"
Temperature	75-82 °F
Salinity	1.020-1.025 sg
Aquarium	50 gal

Distribution and habitat

Discosoma nummiforme are widely distributed in the Indian Ocean, rarely in the Red Sea and in the Western Pacific. They are variably colored and colonize rocks and dead corals in nutrient-rich shallow water on low-flow reef slopes and in lagoons down to 5 m depth.

Maintenance

They should be positioned in a place with medium light intensity and moderate, alternating current. Only lime-rich, heavy metal-free substrates should be used as substrate

To ensure water quality, filters, skimmers and heaters are necessary, as well as pumps to simulate tides, swells and bottom currents

It is recommended that live stones be used to set up the aquarium. The bacteria living in the porous stones act as a biological filter. The lighting must correspond to the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals

Salinity: 33-36 ‰	pH value: 8.1-8.4
Carbonate hardness: 8-10 °KH	Nitrate content: 2-8 mg/l
calcium content: 400-450 mg/l	Nitrite content: 0.0-0.05 mg/l
Magnesium content: 1.250-1.350 mg/l	phosphate content: 0.01-0.1 mg/l

Regular addition of trace elements, especially iodine, is recommended. For salinity, an average value should be aimed for, which may only vary slightly by +/- 0.5 ‰. Ammonia and ammonium must not be measurable. Special attention shall be paid to consistently good water quality and water values.

Diet

Zooxanthellae, which are unicellular symbiotic algae, live in their tissue and provide them with assimilation products of their photosynthesis (high light requirement). The zooxanthellae promote growth and provide additional food to the plankton and small particles collected from the water current. Accordingly, in addition to the food produced in the aquarium during fish feeding (mysis, krill, Artemia, etc.), commercial food for lower animals in the form of phyto- and zooplankton, frozen or liquid, should be offered regularly

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms.

Behaviour and compatibility

They live in large colonies and can be well socialized with fish that do not consider them food. A sufficient distance to other corals must be kept to avoid encrustation.

Reproduction and breeding

Their asexual reproduction occurs by budding or longitudinal division of the polyp. Reproduction by fragmentation is well possible. For this purpose, small stones are placed at the edge of the colony and after their overgrowth the junction is separated

Important

The additional illumination with actinic light (short-wave, violet-blue light) is very beneficial for their growth (zooxanthellae).

For the necessary uniform supply of calcium carbonate and magnesium, a calcium reactor and a magnesium metering pump are recommended. Newly introduced animals must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium

If different species are kept together, care should be taken to ensure that fish and invertebrates match each other in terms of water quality and temperature requirements, as well as their social behavior, and that the setup meets the ecological needs of all species kept together.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: petdata; Image: petdata

Source: BAENSCH & DEBELIUS (2006): Meerwasser Atlas Bd. 1, Mergus Verlag; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch