Hairy Mushroom

Care at a glance

Overview

A sessile, hardy corallimorph that spreads by dividing. It is passive and low-sting toward neighbors, forgiving of variable light and nutrients, and one of the easiest corals to keep, though it can slowly multiply across a rock.

In the wild

Rhodactis mushrooms are corallimorphs whose discs are covered in short bumpy tentacles that give them a hairy or bubbly look. They adapt to a wide light range, from low light around 75 PAR up to moderate-high near 150 PAR, which lets them live in both softie tanks and brighter SPS systems. They prefer low to moderate flow and, like other mushrooms, will detach if blasted directly, so give them a calmer lower or mid rock spot.

Good to know

Rhodactis is a corallimorph closely related to Discosoma but with more developed tentacles and a stronger capacity for capturing food, and some larger species can even close over and swallow sizeable meaty prey. It relies mainly on zooxanthellae for energy and reproduces by splitting and pedal laceration. The prized bounce morphs, with raised bubble-like vesicles, are the same genus selected for that texture.

Did you know

Sought-after bounce mushrooms, which are simply Rhodactis with pronounced raised vesicles, have sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a single well-colored polyp at the height of demand.

Related species

• 

  Mushroom Coral

  Discosoma

  3.9 in (10 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Elephant Ear Mushroom

  Amplexidiscus fenestrafer

  13.8 in (35 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Birdsnest Coral

  Seriatopora hystrix

  5.9 in (15 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Blastomussa

  Blastomussa merletti

  5.9 in (15 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Blastomussa wellsi

  Blastomussa wellsi

  5.9 in (15 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Cat's Paw Coral

  Stylophora pistillata

  5.9 in (15 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)