TankBud

Carlgren's mushroom

Discosoma carlgreni

Also known as Forked Tentacle Corallimorph, Rhodactis carlgreni

SaltwaterCoral

Carlgren's mushroom (Discosoma carlgreni)
Biota · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Photosynthetic
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Discosomidae
Origin
Caribbean

Overview

Carlgren's mushroom is a small, easy corallimorph from the Caribbean for a reef tank. It is almost never offered by name, so most polyps arrive unannounced on Caribbean live rock or mixed mushroom rocks.

Did you know

Carlgren's mushroom honors Oskar Carlgren, a Swedish zoologist. His work still underpins much of what is known about sea anemones and corallimorphs.

Caring for the Carlgren's mushroom

Give a Carlgren's mushroom the standard corallimorph setup of low to moderate light and gentle flow. Set it in a shaded spot low on the rock.

Keep it in a tank of at least 11 gal (40 L). Hold the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Its zooxanthellae supply most of its energy, and it tops this up by catching fine particles.

It is peaceful and reef safe. Like other Caribbean Discosoma, it grows and splits slowly compared with Pacific mushrooms, even when fed.

Good to know

Discosoma carlgreni is a corallimorph in the family Discosomidae. It was first described in 1922 as Rhodactis carlgreni, then moved to Discosoma. It is told apart from its Caribbean relatives by the smaller, more numerous lappets on its disc margin and its forked pseudotentacles. The pseudotentacles branch more as the polyp grows, and they gave it the field guide name forked tentacle corallimorph.

In the wild

Carlgren's mushroom ranges from Florida through the Caribbean. It grows on rock and rubble at roughly 3 to 18 meters.

Common questions

What size tank does a Carlgren's mushroom need?

A Carlgren's mushroom needs at least 11 gal (40 L).

What temperature and pH does a Carlgren's mushroom need?

A Carlgren's mushroom is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Carlgren's mushroom eat?

A Carlgren's mushroom gets most of its energy from its zooxanthellae. It tops this up by catching fine particles.

How big does a Carlgren's mushroom get?

An adult Carlgren's mushroom reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How does a Carlgren's mushroom breed?

A Carlgren's mushroom multiplies by splitting. It grows and splits slowly compared with Pacific mushrooms, even when it is fed.

Related species