Plate Corals of the family Fungiidae

[lakshwadeep]

Fungiids (aka plate, mushroom, disk, tongue, and fungus corals) are great LPS options for any reef tank. They are uniquely adapted to actively "move" across the reef substrate through inflation/deflation of the polyp and can live for decades in the home aquarium. I have an article by Scott W. Michael to share with fellow nano-reefers from the 2007 Marine Fish & Reef USA annual magazine, and so let's understand the basics of fungiids with a "summary":

 

---Introduction---------------

The family Fungiidae is one unique family of stony corals that are mobile and can migrate. Tey are ahermatypic (nonreef forming) and distributed across the tropical Indo-Pacific. Fungiids typically consist of a single large polyp and include the largest polyps recorded (largest fungiid is 3 feet in length).

 

---Moving Around------------

All juvenile fungiids are attached to the substrate by a stalklike base (called acanthocaulus stage in life). At a certain size, the stalk dissolves, and the polyp begins the free-living phase (anthocyathus stage). When detached, fungiids are able to move over the bottom (if the physical surface allows this). There are two types of movement: active and passive migration. Active migration is usually at night where the polyp uses a series of inflation and deflation and pushes against adjacent surfaces. Passive migrations occurs when the a fungiid is swept by water movement. This can be dangerous if they end up in a reef fissure, but they usually can upright themselves after getting flipped over (larger species cannot do this, however).

 

---Finding a home------------

Fungiids can be found on reef flats, faces, and slopes. They occur on coral rubble and also on sand bottoms. There are some distinguishing characteristics that should help determine what habitat a fungiid coral lives in: the smoothness of the arboreal surface (underside), the shape/size of the septa (the ridges or skeletal walls on the upper or oral surface) and the density of the skeleton.

 

Sharp spines on the septa or large spines on the arboreal surface indicate species that live on hard substrates in shallow water. The spines help with anchoring and against flipping during surge. However, these species can suffer damage if covered by soft substrate because of the difficulty of shedding sand. Examples: Ctenactis echinata and Fungia fungites.

 

Sand/mud-adapted fungiids have a low, broad septa and have either a high profile or flat in shape. F. granulosa can even survive almost total burial under sand and sheds sediment well (and a "speed demon" at a whopping 1.2" per hour!).

 

Thus, species with a higher septa and looking spiny, it may do better in your tank on top of a rubble bottom. Those that are sand dwellers should not be placed on hard surfaces. The ever-popular (yet most difficult to keep) long tentacled plate (Heliofungia actiniformis) will have its tissue abraded by even a "flat" live rock on the underside and often develop infections. Also, sand-sifting or burrowing fish will be unsuitable with non-sand dwelling fungiids since they may not be able to shed sand quickly and then develop buried tissue that dies.

 

---Competition---------------

Fungiids have two options when dealing with other corals: moving away or a more direct strategy: depositing a thick layer of stinging-cell laden mucus when expanding at night on encroaching stony corals. F. fungites was listed as one of the most aggressive species in a list of 33 stony coral species in the Red Sea. they also exude toxins lethal to the larvae and early juveniles of other stony corals. It must be noted that they are not aggressive to other fungiids, but they can be separated if needed by using large rubble to create barriers.

 

---Fungiid foes---------------

Fungiids are sometimes preyed upon by the cushion star (Culcita novaeguineae) and any other large coral-feeding echinoderm. Macroalgae can easily smother fungiids if left to overgrow unchecked. All fish that are potentially harmful to fungiids are too large for nano-reefs, but it pays to mention them for those interested: a certain schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes), butterflyfish, and larger wrasse that flip things over looking for food.

 

---What's for dinner?----------

Fungiids rely on 70% of their daily respiratory (not breathing but energy production from food) carbon from their symbiotic algae. The mucus is also eaten to digest organic particles trapped inside. Plankton is captured by tentacles usually extended at night (for H. actiniformis they are up to 20 inches in length that are extended all day). Target feeding is important to fungiids, and adding finely chopped fish/crustacean flesh on the polyp will be sufficient. It may be helpful to use a plastic barrier (berry basket) to shelter the feeding fungiid from hermits and other thieves. Cyclop-eeze squirted from a turkey baster will also be eaten if it sticks to the mucus.

 

---Other aquarium notes-------

Fungiids are fairly hardy aquarium residents (the possible exception being H. actiniformis). Handle fungiids with great care; never move them when the polyp is expanded (waving your hand over the animal will encourage it to retract). H. actiniformis is especially prone to injury with its large fleshy polyps and long tentacles. Make sure to check any fungiid for tears/abrasions before taking it home. Fungiids, aside from infections caused by improper handling, are fairly disease resistant. Mushroom corals should be kept in a brightly lit aquarium with low to moderate water flow. A common mistake among beginners is placing them on top of live rock. The fungiid eventually ends up falling off the rock, causing tissue damage or even death. Fungiids should always be placed on a flat sand or rubble bottom (depending on the species). The good news is that if they are properly handled and cared for, fungiids can live for decades in a home aquarium.

 

Source (using current MLA and APA format, respectively):

 

Michael, Scott W. "Fungiids: Corals on the Go." Marine Fish and Reef USA 2007: 110-17.

Michael, S. W. (2007). Fungiids: Corals on the go. Marine Fish and Reef USA, 9(1), 110-117.

[starfish609]

Thanks for the summary, good info. Could you provide the full reference by any chance?

 

Michael, Scott W. (2007). *Title of article*. Marine Fish & Reef USA Annual Magazine, vol*(*), pp.*-*.

 

Cheers

[starfish609]

I added this link you put in the other thread as I think I will follow this one. http://data.gbif.org/species/13148188 (credit to lakshwadeep)

[lakshwadeep]

Thanks for the summary, good info. Could you provide the full reference by any chance?

 

the deed is done

[starfish609]

Thanks. I found this:

http://www.sbg.ac.at/ipk/avstudio/pierofun/coral/fungiid.htm

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fungiidae.htm

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/1097/1097_4.html

http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/Sing...rch_value=53108

Brief overview of the genera, references to species etc...

Cheers

[Lalani]

Ah, great info here. I only recently got my first fungia, and it's one of the most interesting coral I have. Thanks for the info, lak!

[dtfleming]

cool little corals, i have an orange one in my tank

[brian92]

How do you propagate fungia? Is it impossible or do you cut them like pizzas?

 

I've always wondered that about large solitary polyp corals, like fungia, scolys, and Open Brains.

[GoingPostal]

How do you propagate fungia? Is it impossible or do you cut them like pizzas?

 

I've always wondered that about large solitary polyp corals, like fungia, scolys, and Open Brains.

 

You can cut them into chunks or pie shapes pieces but most of the time they won't grow back into nice little circles and may have multiple/irregular placed mouths. If you kill one keep the skeleton though, sometimes babies will pop up on it, I have a dead orange plate with a bunch of little plates growing on it. Also sometimes plate stems will come in on live rock that will produce plates, usually over and over. I have some purple and green plates from a stem on the back of a brain coral.

[lakshwadeep]

+1 to goingpostal. I haven't heard much about propogation, but I have heard of dead plates producing babies.