Mussoides Mushroom (Rhodactis mussoides) Care Guide
Rhodactis mussoides is a large Indo-Pacific mushroom corallimorph with prominent radial papillae, kept in low-to-moderate light reef tanks.
Overview
Rhodactis mussoides is one of the larger mushroom corallimorphs in the order Corallimorpharia, distinguished by prominent radial papillae across the oral disc. Like all corallimorphs it is closely related to stony corals but lacks a calcareous skeleton. The World Register of Marine Species treats this name as a synonym and currently lists the species under Platyzoanthus mussoides (Saville-Kent, 1893), following a revision by Fautin; the name Rhodactis mussoides remains in common aquarium use.
Taxonomy
- Order: Corallimorpharia
- Family: Discosomatidae
- Genus: Rhodactis
- Scientific name: Rhodactis mussoides
- WoRMS revision: accepted as Platyzoanthus mussoides (Saville-Kent, 1893)
Habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific. Tropical corallimorphs of this type have short columns and wide oral discs, and on natural reefs they may spread across the substrate in carpets, contributing to shifts toward soft-coral-dominated reef communities.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- dKH: 8-11
- Lighting: low to moderate
- Water flow: medium
- Lifespan: 5-50 years
Diet
The animal is zooxanthellate and derives most of its energy from photosynthesis by symbiotic algae. It supplements this by capturing particulate food, and large specimens can take small prey. Occasional weekly feeding of meaty or planktonic foods is sufficient.
Compatibility
Peaceful and reef-safe with fish and shrimp. Butterflyfish, which graze on cnidarians, should be avoided.