The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple is a lesser known member of the Actinodiscus group and looks awesome in any reef tank. Its brightness and vibrancy of colors is absolutely stunning and outstanding, and must be seen under actinic lighting when its fluorescence property enhances its beauty. The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple is very easy to care for and maintain. It grows and propagates quite easily in an aquarium, which makes it a very good choice for novice aquarists. It is available either in pairs or singly that are attached to small pieces of rocks. The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple has short tentacles which are unique bubble shaped over the surface of the coral polyp. The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple is semi aggressive in nature as compared to other marine aquarium invertebrates. It is recommended to keep the Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple away from other corals just to avoid the aggressive behavior in the aquarium. It needs low water flow and moderate illumination for its growth and development. The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple can be placed anywhere in your marine aquarium. Often, you will find them closed when you introduce it into the tank. Once the Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple gets acclimated to the environment, it will open up within eight weeks? time. If there is bright light in the aquarium, the Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple corals has to be kept at the bottom of the reef tank. The photosynthesis provides the major nutrition to the Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple coral and, additional feeding is not that necessary. But it has to be taken care that the currents should be able to supply it with necessary nutrients and trace elements for its continued growth. The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple undergoes photosynthesis with the help of the entrapped symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae. This alga manufactures food and provides nutrition to the coral using the light energy. The Mushroom Polyp - Ricordea Blue/Purple propagates easily in captivity, simply by splitting.
Blue mushroomsMushrooms are hardy and adaptable specimens, often being the first corals a new hobbyist will purchase for their tank.These invertebrates are made up of three distinct areas; pedal disk (used for attachment), stem and oral disk.These corallimorphs prefer less intense areas of lighting and flow. It has been noted that if the mushrooms are in placed in bright lighting- browning may occur.Propagation is quite easy provided the mushroom is placed in favorable conditions. Propagation occurs through (a) fission-splitting into more than one piece or by (b) budding which is a new mushroom "daughter" growing from the original mushroom.These invertebrates are mostly photosynthetic, they will however readily close the oral disk around any prey which strays onto the mushroom and be digested.Corals are part of a biological group known as Cnidaria. Most Cnidaria have a mouth, or mouths, that opens into one big body cavity. Due to the lack of a true digestive system, this cavity acts in its place and after the food is broken down the nutrients are then sent through the rest of the body as food. There is also no excretory system; therefore the waste is sent back through the mouth or secreted into the surrounding water.Tentacles of varying size will usually surround the mouth of Cnidaria. Most Cnidaria have tentacles with stinging cells that can shoot tiny poison darts into their prey or can even be used as a defense mechanism. Some corals lack tentacles and instead cover themselves with a thin layer of mucus and use that to collect bacteria and plankton as food. Some corals even use both of these methods. Cnidaria can either be an individual animal or members of a complex colony. These "Colony Corals" share the food and nutrients taken in by each individual.Corals have tiny living organisms that actually live in their tissue. These are called zooxanthellae and they are the reason why such strong lighting is needed in the saltwater aquarium. These algae-like creatures provide the coral with oxygen and other nutrients that are produced during photosynthesis. During this process, the zooxanthellae take up carbon dioxide and provide nutrients to the coral.Corals can use two different types of defense mechanisms. One of which is a sweeper tentacle wherein the coral reaches its tentacles out to try to damage another coral with nematocysts. The other is when the coral releases a minute amount of toxin into the water to poison another coral within certain proximity.
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