Plate Coral (LPS) (Danafungia horrida)

Plate Coral (LPS) Danafungia horrida
Name	Plate Coral (LPS)
Name Lat.	Danafungia horrida
Synonym	Fungia horrida
Family	Mushroom Corals
Family lat.	Fungiidae
Order	Stony Corals
Order lat.	Scleractinia
Origin	Indo-Pacific, Red Sea
Diet	Autotrophic, planktivore
pH	8.1-8.4
Hardness	8-12 °KH
Lighting	Medium
Current	Moderate - strong
Behavior	Semi-aggressive
Keeping	Solitary
Care Level	Moderate
Life Span	N/A
Protection	CITES Appendix II; EC Annex B
Metric Units
Size	< 20 cm
Temperature	24-27 °C
Salinity	33-36 ‰
Aquarium	200 l
US Units
Size	< 8"
Temperature	75-81 °F
Salinity	1.020-1.025 sg
Aquarium	50 gal

Distribution and habitat

Fungia horrida belongs to the group of LPS (Large Polyp Scleractinia) and it is widely distributed in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Central and Western Pacific. This solitary coral is found on sheltered inner reefs in lagoons with sandy bottoms down to 30 m depth. Juveniles are sessile (sessile), adults are free-living.

Maintenance

They should be positioned at the bottom in a sandy place with not too high light intensity and weak to medium current. As a substrate, only lime-rich, heavy metal-free substrates should be used. The aquarium should not lack live stones, which act as a biological filter. To ensure water quality, filters, skimmers and heaters are necessary, as well as pumps to simulate tides, swells and bottom currents. 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: 420-450 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 and strontium, 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 (light requirement). The zooxanthellae promote growth and provide additional food to the plankton and small particles that are collected in large quantities from the water current. Thus, in addition to the food produced in the aquarium during fish feeding (mysis, krill, Artemia, etc.), commercially available supplementary food in the form of phyto- and zooplankton should be offered regularly

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms.

Behaviour and compatibility

They should not be kept with fish that regard their polyps as food (e.g. emperor or butterfly fish). They are well tolerated with other corals, but sufficient distance must be kept from cnidarians.

Reproduction and breeding

In nature, reproduction is sexual via marine larval stages. A special characteristic of Fungia is that damaged or dying animals can form offshoots (anthocauli formation), which grow on the skeleton of the mother animal.

Species protection

Species protection: WA Appendix II; EU Appendix B. The proof of purchase is the required proof of origin for the animal. Please keep it safe! Your pet store will be happy to provide you with further information.

Important

Dead Fungia should not be removed from the aquarium, as daughter polyps may develop after a few weeks. The additional lighting with actinic light (short-wave, violet-blue light) is very beneficial for their growth (zooxanthellae).

A calcium reactor and magnesium metering pump are recommended for the necessary steady supply of calcium carbonate and magnesium. Too high temperature, insufficient lighting or current as well as sudden change of water values can lead to tissue decay (RTN - rapid tissue necrosis). They are very sensitive and can be easily injured during handling. Newly introduced animals must be acclimated slowly to the water in the aquarium

If different species are kept together, make sure 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: Franz Lowak

Source: VERON (2000): Corals of the world, Australian Institute of Marine Science; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch