Umbrella Mushroom Coral

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Caribbean Sea. Found in shallow, calm reef zones, typically in shaded areas on coral rubble and rock surfaces.

Taxonomy: Order Corallimorpharia, family Discosomidae. Features a flat, circular disc with a textured, bumpy surface.

Social Behavior: Peaceful toward other discosoma. Can spread quickly, forming dense colonies that carpet rockwork in low-flow areas.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Usually olive-green, brown, or bluish with metallic highlights or radial stripes. No visual differences between sexes.

Tank Setup: An aquarium of at least 50 liters with live rock in low-light and low-flow areas. Perfect for nano reef tanks.

Diet and Feeding: Photosynthetic. Relies mostly on lighting for nutrients. Can absorb dissolved organic compounds and benefits from occasional micro-plankton feeds.

Water Quality: Standard reef parameters. Keep temperature 22-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, and specific gravity 1.023-1.026. Tolerates slightly elevated nitrates.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Safe with peaceful fish. Do not plant near sensitive small polyp stony corals, as mushrooms can sting them.

Aquarium Breeding: Extremely easy. Propagates via pedal laceration, leaving small tissue parts on the rock that develop into new polyps.

Risks and Diseases: Highly resilient. Too much light will cause them to shrivel or bleach. High flow may cause them to detach from the rock.