Scientific Name: Actinodiscus sp.
Aquired: 08.2006
Info: The Blue Striped Mushrooms are also referred to as Mushroom Anemones and Disc Anemones. They were previously in a genus called Discosoma. This variety originates from the reefs of Indonesia, and is blue in color with a striped pattern. Their shape will vary depending on both the water flow, and the amount of light in the aquarium. These mushrooms are very hardy, and make a wonderful addition to any reef aquarium.
    The Blue Striped Mushrooms are hardy and relatively easy to maintain, and under the right conditions, will multiply and spread very rapidly. In general, they need a medium light level and a low to medium water flow within the aquarium. They are semi-aggressive and require adequate space between themselves and other corals and sessile invertebrates.
    Mushrooms receive a majority of their nutrition from the symbiotic zooxanthellae cells hosted within their bodies. They also feed upon dissolved organics, particulate matter as well as plankton that is present in the water column. They do not require supplemental feeding, but can be fed small pieces of chopped shrimp, fish or other meaty foods.
Issues: none

Scientific Name: Ricordea yuma
Aquired: 07.2006
Info: The Ricordea, or Flower Mushroom Coral, is a member of the order Corallimorpharia (Stephenson, 1937), and has short, club, or berry-shaped tentacles. It shares some similarities to stony corals, and is also termed a Disc Anemone. It is found in a variety of color forms.
    It requires a medium to high light level, but metal halide lighting may be too bright. It prefers a low water movement within the aquarium, and it may not be as hardy as some of the other mushroom corals. It is considered semi-aggressive and requires adequate space between itself and other corals. It reproduces by longitudinal fission.
    The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within it provides the majority of its nutritional requirements from the light driven process of photosynthesis. It also eats plankton and smaller invertebrates such as crustaceans.
Issues: none

Scientific Name: Zoanthus sp.
Aquired: 02.2006
Info: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are also referred to as Sea Mats, or Button Polyps. Their most common color is green, but are also found in other bright colors, such as orange. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock. Pictured above are the two common forms of the super colored colony polyps and the coloration that you will receive will depend on availability.
    These polyps have the ability to sting other polyps or corals. While the sting is not strong, they are semi-aggressive and need to have space between their colony and any neighbors since they tend to crowd them out. They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. They require a high light level combined with a medium water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
    They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony.
    They contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which provide almost all of their nutritional requirements. Especially if the lighting is not optimal, they should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
    It is common to receive a rock that is not completely covered in polyps. However, under the right conditions, they will quickly spread across this and surrounding rocks in the aquarium.
Issues: none

Scientific Name: Zoanthus sp.
Aquired: 11.2005
Info: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are also referred to as Sea Mats, or Button Polyps. Their most common color is green, but are also found in other bright colors, such as orange. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock. Pictured above are the two common forms of the super colored colony polyps and the coloration that you will receive will depend on availability.
    These polyps have the ability to sting other polyps or corals. While the sting is not strong, they are semi-aggressive and need to have space between their colony and any neighbors since they tend to crowd them out. They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. They require a high light level combined with a medium water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
    They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony.
    They contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which provide almost all of their nutritional requirements. Especially if the lighting is not optimal, they should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
    It is common to receive a rock that is not completely covered in polyps. However, under the right conditions, they will quickly spread across this and surrounding rocks in the aquarium.
Issues: none

Scientific Name: Zoanthus sp.
Aquired: 10.2005
Info: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are also referred to as Sea Mats, or Button Polyps. Their most common color is green, but are also found in other bright colors, such as orange. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock. Pictured above are the two common forms of the super colored colony polyps and the coloration that you will receive will depend on availability.
    These polyps have the ability to sting other polyps or corals. While the sting is not strong, they are semi-aggressive and need to have space between their colony and any neighbors since they tend to crowd them out. They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. They require a high light level combined with a medium water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
    They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony.
    They contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which provide almost all of their nutritional requirements. Especially if the lighting is not optimal, they should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
    It is common to receive a rock that is not completely covered in polyps. However, under the right conditions, they will quickly spread across this and surrounding rocks in the aquarium.
Issues: none

Scientific Name: Pachyclavularia sp.
Aquired: 08.2005
Info: The Starburst Polyps are also referred to as Star, Eight Tentacle, Mat, or Daisy Polyps. They are usually white or brown with a white dot in the center of each polyp, although, some more rare Starburst Polyps are green. The green specimens have been called Clavularia viridis; however, they are now identified as a Pachyclavularia sp. They have the distinctive eight-leaved tentacles on each polyp. They are colonial animals with several individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock.
    Accurately described as an encrusting coral, Starburst Polyps rapidly grow over adjacent rock work, coral, or even the glass of an established reef aquarium. They are a peaceful coral armed with the defensive capability of being able to retract or deflate each of their polyps in response to predation. They will not harm other corals that are placed close to their colony, but are susceptible to being damaged by any aggressive corals in the reef aquarium. They are easy to maintain in the reef aquarium and make an excellent candidate for the beginning through expert reef aquarist. They require a medium to high light level combined with a medium to strong water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
    The experienced hobbyist cultures the colony by taking a cutting from their encrusting base. The cutting is then glued to a hard substrate such as a rock or dead coral head.
    The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within their bodies provide the majority of their nutritional requirements through photosynthesis. They also benefit from weekly feedings of micro-plankton or foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.
Issues: none

Scientific Name: Zoanthus sp.
Aquired: 07.2005
Info: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are also referred to as Sea Mats, or Button Polyps. Their most common color is green, but are also found in other bright colors, such as orange. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock. Pictured above are the two common forms of the super colored colony polyps and the coloration that you will receive will depend on availability.
    These polyps have the ability to sting other polyps or corals. While the sting is not strong, they are semi-aggressive and need to have space between their colony and any neighbors since they tend to crowd them out. They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. They require a high light level combined with a medium water movement within the aquarium. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
    They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony.
    They contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which provide almost all of their nutritional requirements. Especially if the lighting is not optimal, they should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
    It is common to receive a rock that is not completely covered in polyps. However, under the right conditions, they will quickly spread across this and surrounding rocks in the aquarium.
Issues: none