Amplexdiscus spp. Giant cup mushroom

[reefwisher]

Any one had one of these mushroom? Can you give me any info. on these? I am setting up a 40 gal breeder and thought one of these might look good on one end of the tank.

[prm]

We have one at the lfs I work at, care seems to be the same as most other shrooms. moderate lighting and moderate to low flow..... we have had it for years and it seems bullet proof

[Apercula]

Very durable, and can get VERY large.
The two in this picture were the result of pedal laceration when I moved my large one. A couple less than 1cm globs were left behind. It was moved in Oct '08 and the picture of the resulting mushrooms was taken about a year later.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii150/Ganrin/100_2825.jpg
My large one at 16 inches in diameter, the ruler on it measured 8in from mouth to rim.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii150/Ganrin/giantcupaug5.jpg
The large one balled up in feeding mode. They ARE capable of eating fish. I used to feed the large one 1in pieces of silverside a couple times per week.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii150/Ganrin/elephantearfeeding.jpg


Edit--
They are fairly easily fragable, I cut the large one in half over a year ago and both halves healed up fairly quickly, and have grown to the point that they no longer have a scar where the cut was. They are both over 12inches in diameter at this time with no supplemental feeding, just light in my frag tank.

Edit 2 --
A poor picture of the "frags" in my rubbermaid tub.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii150/Ganrin/100_2738.jpg

[reefwisher]

I really like them cause they remind me of a carpet anemone and a lot easier to care for,not demanding like a carpet anemone. I have seen one in the lfs store where I go too (150 miles from me). Diver Den from Live Aquaria had one the other day and it was a blue to blue-purple, very pretty. If I would had my 40 breeder set-up and cycled, I would had bought it. Thanks for the info.

[Apercula]

The color they show seems to be light spectrum dependant. My large one was a "purple" from Diver's Den, under my 10k bulbs it was a nice golden brown. The two frags in my first picture are more of a purple color and they are under 20k bulbs. The two halves of the large one in the last picture are nearly 2 feet deep under cheap 10k bulbs that are probably putting out closer to 5k spectrum and are just a dirty brown.

[reefwisher]

I wondered about that. Different lighting shows different coloring. I will be using 4 bulbs T-5 lighting. Either 2-10K or 1 10K and 1 6500K with either 2 460nm or 1-460nm and 1-420nm. have'nt decided yet.