Stupid softy questions

[Empty]

Hi all,

 

I am a complete SW novice- I've never had a SW tank, let alone a reef. While my new 5g nano cycles, I have been researching (read as: drooling) corals and pondering placement order. In doing so, I have come up with a few questions.

 

Mushrooms are described as good for beginners, and good for the first sessile invert to put in a tank(due to hardiness and the build-it-from-the-sand-up approach). Ricordea are described as mushrooms. Are ricordia noticeably more delicate than run-o-the-mill shrooms?

 

Also, I see a lot of common names for the same genus and species of animal... Are mushroom and plate corals the same thing? Is a mushroom anemone the same as a mushroom coral, or are they seperate things?

 

Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide

 

~Empty

[drdrew]

ricordia generally do better with more light than discosoma sp.

plate corals are not the same as softy mushrooms.

 

got me on the mushroom anemone, but i believe they may be the same.

 

stick with discosoma species to start.

[Tempest]

IMO mushrooms are the best beginner coral. I believe mushrooms are actually related to anenomes; so mushroom (probably) = mushroom anenome. Plate corals are more difficult to keep - some need a great deal of light and target feeding (depends on the species). Go with the discosoma and enjoy. Be forewarned though - discosoma can get to be several inches in diameter under good lighting (3-5 watts PC). They sometimes look smaller in the LFS because they're under crappy light and then greatly expand when you get them home.

[caja]

Corallimorpharians = mushroom coral = mushroom anemone = disc anemones. So sayeth Eric Borneman.

 

Plate coral = LPS