Mushroom Corals

[bloke]

Under what conditions should one add mushroom corals to their tank?
I have no corals at this point but am wanting to start up the reef slowly. I understand that mushrooms do not require the amount of lighting required by other corals so was considering starting there.
Any suggestions? Only clown fish are in teh tank so naturally I want to make sure I do not add something that would endanger them...

 

[memphis]

I love mushrooms, they pose no threat to the clowns and should do fine in just about anything better than regular fluorescents. Just watch the color and that will let you know if they are getting enough light. You do not need MH for them VHO, T5's, compacts should be fine.

 

[bloke]

Thanks...
Some have said that they should not be added to tanks less than 6 months old while others have said that they can be added immediately after cycling.
What are your thoughts there?

 

[memphis]

I guess its all about the flavor of the shroom. Most should be fine after the cycle. Also the lighting does not apply to all, just most. A few, like a Yuma, would need MH or at least T5s IMHO.

 

[barchtruong]

I have MH and CF in a total of 560w lighting.
I got some Mushroom and leave them under any rock canopy, they grow happy there and the tank looks much better with diff. varieties of corals.
WARNING. if your mushrooms detach from the rock and start floating around, other corals will catch and eat them like a pc of cake.
1 of my purple mushroom came off and totally disappeared.
I think my Brain ate it cuz the Brain coral was sorta close to it and the reason I think corals eat Mushroom because another pc of my Mushroom flew off and got right onto a Button Polyps and that Polyps grabbed on that Mushroom right away and slowly digested it. I had to use a stick to pull it out.
Good luck to ya.