really really basic questions about coral

[roseselene]

Hi! I 'm new to the marine hobby and have my first marine tank up and running with a couple of fish that seem to be doing well. I'm not going to run out and get coral any time soon...but I've been looking into it as something down the road. I realize that most coral requires more than routine lighting so, I don't know if I can even have any coral at all. So, I'm curious, I've read that most mushroom corals are excellent for beginners, fairly easy to care for and require lower lighting than other corals. We have a 55 gallon (long rectangular shape) with the standard flourescent lights that came with the hood that came with the tank. Could mushroom corals survive with that lighting? Or do they need additional lighting?
Also...really really basic questions here....I've read that they can "sting" --- can they sting you if you accidentally touch them during tank maintenance, or just smaller things in the tank. Can they harm the fish that you have in there?
Thanks for any thoughts, again, i'm not planning on going out and getting coral anytime soon, just trying to gather the info for right now.
Thanks!!

 

[Anonymous]

Mushroom is very hardly, and can do well with a few four feeters (40 watt florescence lamps).

Regarding sting, it is pretty much harmless, but it is possible that some people is allergic to it, I suppose. They are safe for fish, but some fish can damage/eat them, so make sure they are compatible.

 

[fujianboy]

You might also want to do some research on the particular shroom before you get it, some mushrooms can eat fish.. by enclosing their cap around them.. some of the larger mushrooms can do this, like the umbrella mushroom. they have been known to eat cardinals and inverts that stray into it's area. but in general, they are very easy to care for. other "mushrooms" like the ricordeas require more lighting, but not intense...

 

[SpicyBalls]

discosoma neglecta.. aka umbrella mushroom... some other varieties of the larger shrooms may do this as well..
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