Let’s talk about one of the rarest corals that you can keep in your reef tank.
The Bounce Mushroom coral.
The Bounce mushroom coral actually starts out as a Rhodactis mushroom coral that for some reason they grow these polyp tissues that bounce.
It is a bit of a mystery as to why this happens.
It’s possible that this will happen when exposed to irregular water conditions, particularly lighting that is not equal to their natural environment.
These corals are highly sought after and are quite interesting to see.
Due to how rare and unique they are, they will come with a hefty price tag.
Not all Bounce mushrooms are priced the same.
There is a range of prices usually from around $250 to $3000 or more for a single frag.
Actually, it is considered to be the most expensive coral ever sold at a price of $10,000.
The OG Bounce mushroom is one of the rarest and most sought after mushroom coral.
It is very colorful and is identified by having yellow/orange bubbles over a purple/green base.
Bounce Mushroom coral care
The Rhodactis mushroom/Bounce mushroom is a very hardy coral that is a good choice for beginners.
They don’t require pristine water conditions and can adapt to a variety of lighting and water movement.
They are not picky and easy to care for.
You should try to place these corals towards the bottom of the tank.
They will do well on a sandbed or placed on a ledge part of a rock. Avoid placing them on sharp pieces of rock or substrate.
The best lighting conditions are low to moderate light with PAR values of 50 to 150.
Any more than that and it’s possible for them to bleach. PAR should be kept below 150.
Avoid placing them up high in your tank as they might be subject to high water movement and lighting.
Speaking of water movement, the Bounce mushroom coral should be placed where they will receive a low to moderate flow.
Although they are not overly picky, they are not a huge fan of strong water movement and it can have serious health effects if too strong.
Bounce mushrooms are photosynthetic so feeding them is not required. Although you can feed mushroom corals, supplementing their diet is not needed.
Providing you perform routine maintenance and keep your water parameters within the normal range, you can keep these corals successfully.
Propagation
The bounce mushroom coral is a very easy coral for fragging. With basic tools like a scalpel or sharp blade, they can easily be cut into the frag size you need.
These corals will recover easily from fragging and should be healed quickly.
When fragging any corals, it’s important to wear protective equipment like goggles and gloves.
Read: Mushroom Coral Care Guide
Types of Bounce mushroom corals
A few of the most common types include:
- Biohazard Bounce mushroom
- Gonzo Golden Bounce mushroom
- Neptune Bounce mushroom
- Hobbit Bounce mushroom
- OG Bounce mushroom
- Sunkist Bounce mushroom
- Uranium Bounce mushroom
- WWC Original Bounce mushroom
Should you purchase a Bounce mushroom coral?
If you decide to pay the high price to have one of these beauties, you will have one of the rarest corals available. They are easy to keep in most saltwater tanks.
Keep in mind that they are normally sold at a very small size. It’s common to see them for sale at 1” or smaller.
If you have the extra cash and a place for them in your tank, you should definitely have one.
They are a stunning coral that will be a showpiece everyone will be talking about.