Feeding in Discosoma, or lack thereof

Ivan_Maly · 01/22/2014, 11:00 PM

I was trying to systematize the information about mushroom corallimorphs’ feeding behavior, or lack thereof (information or feeding). Tentacled or pseudotentacled species (Rhodactis, Ricordea, and possibly the “bumpier”-surfaced types of Discosoma/Actinodiscus) seem to really eat, i.e. visibly ingest pieces of food. I have however developed the following questions about the smooth-surfaced, characteristic types of Discosoma:

1) Can they truly rely on photosynthesis, or are the reports about them doing great without being fed coming exclusively from tanks where other inhabitants are fed? It is easy to assume they can get some of the food or some of the waste, corpuscular or dissolved, in the tanks that are otherwise fed.

2) Is there any evidence or indication that they actually consume any of the microscopic foods or dissolved substances that may be present or introduced into the tank?

3) Reports of them ingesting (into the gastric cavity) visible food particles exist but seem to be rare. Can anyone here attest to this behavior in their mushrooms, and what food was it in your case?

4) Are there any observations of food being consumed by these smooth-surfaced Discosoma in some other manner than the direct ingestion into the gastric cavity?

Thank you very much for sharing your observations. Negative ones would be just as valuable!

7hogwarts · 01/30/2014, 07:10 PM

I too, have had similar questions. That's why I posted looking for a Coralmorphs book in a separate thread. The only thing I found was from the Magazine Coral v0l.4 No 4. It is dedicated to coralmorphs. There are some good articles in there, but nothing really comprehensive.

01/22/2014, 11:00 PM	#1
Ivan_Maly Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 2	Feeding in Discosoma, or lack thereof I was trying to systematize the information about mushroom corallimorphs’ feeding behavior, or lack thereof (information or feeding). Tentacled or pseudotentacled species (Rhodactis, Ricordea, and possibly the “bumpier”-surfaced types of Discosoma/Actinodiscus) seem to really eat, i.e. visibly ingest pieces of food. I have however developed the following questions about the smooth-surfaced, characteristic types of Discosoma: 1) Can they truly rely on photosynthesis, or are the reports about them doing great without being fed coming exclusively from tanks where other inhabitants are fed? It is easy to assume they can get some of the food or some of the waste, corpuscular or dissolved, in the tanks that are otherwise fed. 2) Is there any evidence or indication that they actually consume any of the microscopic foods or dissolved substances that may be present or introduced into the tank? 3) Reports of them ingesting (into the gastric cavity) visible food particles exist but seem to be rare. Can anyone here attest to this behavior in their mushrooms, and what food was it in your case? 4) Are there any observations of food being consumed by these smooth-surfaced Discosoma in some other manner than the direct ingestion into the gastric cavity? Thank you very much for sharing your observations. Negative ones would be just as valuable!

01/30/2014, 07:10 PM	#2
7hogwarts Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 125	I too, have had similar questions. That's why I posted looking for a Coralmorphs book in a separate thread. The only thing I found was from the Magazine Coral v0l.4 No 4. It is dedicated to coralmorphs. There are some good articles in there, but nothing really comprehensive.