Mushroom Coral

About

Mushroom coral (Cycloseris curvata) is a solitary, free-living stony coral found across the Indo-Pacific, ranging from shallow reef margins down to about 30 meters. Unlike most hard corals, it doesn't attach permanently to rock. It lives as a single disc on soft sandy or silty substrates between reef structures, which makes it genuinely unusual among the corals you're likely to encounter in the hobby. The polyp forms a distinctly arched disc that can reach roughly 90 millimeters across, with thick septa radiating outward in an irregular, curved pattern when viewed from above. Coloration is modest, typically brown or green, so this isn't a coral you pick for bold visual impact, but it has a clean, architectural look that suits natural-style reef setups well. In the aquarium, Cycloseris curvata is considered a reasonable starting point for hobbyists new to keeping stony corals. It appreciates moderate lighting and gentle flow, and should be placed on a sandy bottom rather than wedged onto rockwork, respecting how it lives in the wild. It will occasionally reposition itself, which is completely normal behavior. Keep flow low enough that it isn't tumbled around constantly, and this unassuming little disc coral tends to settle in without much fuss.