ORA Elephant Ear Mushroom

Quick facts

Handling caution: Mild sting from nematocysts; can irritate skin or eyes on contact

Identity

Also known as

Hairy Mushroom; Rhodactis Mushroom; Bounce Mushroom

Synonyms

Discosoma sp. (older usage)

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific, Philippines, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea

Habitat

Shallow to moderate-depth reef flats and lagoons, typically on rubble or rocky substrate in areas of reduced water motion and filtered light

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Coral type

Mushroom

Temperament

Semi-Aggressive

Growth form

Mushroom

Adult size

1 – 8 in (2.5 – 20 cm)

Spread

8 in (20 cm)

Growth rate

Moderate

Placement

Low, Middle

Water

Temperature

76 – 80 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 10 dKH

Salinity

1.024 – 1.026 SG

PAR

50 – 150 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Low

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Low

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

4 in (10 cm)

Colors

Green, Orange, Yellow, Brown, Purple, Red, Multicolor

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Omnivore

Foods

Frozen, Zooplankton, Phytoplankton, Coral food

Propagation

Fragging, Splitting

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Care guide

Overview

ORA Elephant Ear Mushroom is a captive-propagated Rhodactis with a broad, ruffled disc that can spread to fill a rubble mound over time. Hardy and undemanding, it tolerates a wide swing of light and flow, making it suited to beginner reef tanks. Give it isolated placement, since its sting and chemical output can bother nearby zoanthids and sensitive SPS.

Care

Rhodactis mushrooms are among the hardiest corals in the trade, tolerating a wide range of lighting, flow, and water quality conditions that would stress stony corals. They do best under low to moderate light (roughly 50-150 PAR) with gentle, indirect flow that keeps detritus from settling without folding or retracting the disc. Place colonies on stable rubble or a small isolated rock so they can expand without crawling into neighboring corals, since they can sting and outcompete slower growers over time. New arrivals should be light-acclimated gradually over one to two weeks to avoid bleaching.

Placement & acclimation

Acclimate with a 30-60 minute drip and float to match temperature before introduction. Reduce light intensity by 30-50% for the first one to two weeks using shading or a mesh screen, then increase gradually once the disc is fully expanded and holding color. Mount on a small rock or rubble island in low to mid-tank placement to contain future spread.

Feeding

Most nutrition comes from symbiotic zooxanthellae, so feeding is supplemental rather than essential. Offering small meaty foods such as mysis, finely chopped seafood, or powdered coral food once or twice a week tends to improve growth rate and coloration. Turning off flow briefly during feeding helps the polyp capture food before it is swept away, and overfeeding should be avoided since excess waste can foul water quality.

Neighbors

Give at least three to six inches of clearance from other corals, since Rhodactis can extend its disc considerably and possesses a mild sting along with chemical defenses that can irritate zoanthids, palythoas, and sensitive SPS. It generally coexists well with other soft corals and leathers that share similar tolerance for allelopathy. Avoid placing it near slow-growing or immobile prized colonies that cannot be relocated if the mushroom begins to spread.

Fragging

Colonies propagate naturally through longitudinal fission, splitting in half over time to form new individuals, and this process can be encouraged by cutting a healthy disc in two with a sharp blade once it reaches a reasonable size. Allow fresh cuts to heal on a stable, low-flow surface before handling further. Fragged pieces are slower to recover than stony corals and should be kept in stable conditions during healing.

Pests & problems

Bleaching from excessive light is the most common problem, presenting as pale or washed-out coloration and shrinkage. Sudden swings in salinity, alkalinity, or temperature can cause the mouth to gape or the disc to detach from the rock. Nudibranchs and other predatory pests occasionally target mushroom corals, so new frags should be dipped and quarantined before introduction to the display tank.

Sources

1. Rhodactis Coral Care Guide - Lighting, Flow & Bounce Varieties
2. Irish Gold Rhodactis Mushroom Coral Care Guide | Top Shelf Aquatics
3. Golden Gate Rhodactis Mushroom Coral Care Guide | Top Shelf Aquatics
4. Rhodactis Mushroom care guide (Rhodactis sp) | Fast Aquatics