Freaky Fungia

[FloMojo]

The first pic is nothing unusual. Just my fungia sitting there looking pretty under moonlighting. But then I was target feeding it (which I hardly ever do) and discovered what appears to be a second mouth?!

Never seen a fungia with 2 mouths before (2nd one under the "m").


Anyone else ever seen this before?

 

[ReefFreak@]

hmm possibly getting ready to split?

 

[Tab28]

I have seen a few times. Seen some with 4 mouths. I have read were some may be different sub species.

 

[ReefFreak@]

Would you be able to keep these guys on a bare bottom

 

[FLipp]

those tentacles though!

 

[Tab28]

those tentacles though!

It is a nice color with good tentacle extension. But it looks like a short tentacle fungia. Hard to tell if it is actually a cycloseris. Orange plates are mostly cycloseris. There are orange fungia but not as common as cycloseris in orange.

 

[J Rog]

Love the color on that!

 

[evolved]

hmm possibly getting ready to split?

No, fungias don't reproduce as such.

Would you be able to keep these guys on a bare bottom

Yes.

 

[fungia_fiend]

They don't split other than by damage, but they can be fragged. I have some that have multiple mouths. Mine love barebottom!

 

[Tab28]

They don't split other than by damage, but they can be fragged. I have some that have multiple mouths. Mine love barebottom!

The one at about 7 o'clock with radiating looking lines is nice.

 

[FloMojo]

Thanks for the compliments. The tentacle extension seen in the first pic shows 3/4 of it's fullest, but I would say it's a short vs long tentacled.
What is are the visible differences that distinquish a cycloseris from a fungia?
This is probably a wrong assumption, but I figured a cycloseris were all the wagon wheel variations, lol.

 

[Tab28]

It is a short tentacle. A long tentacle comparison is like night and day. Long tentacle looks like an anemone, long fat tentacles not short (in comparison) skinny pointed ones of the short tentacle.

Cycloseris looks exactly like a fungia except the mouth area is raised like a hill. Fungia is completely flat.

 

[evolved]

Long tentacles plates are an entirely different genus; it's not really a matter of perceived tentacle length I'm afraid.

The "wagon wheel" varieties are typically just a color morph from really high lighting from whatever location there were in prior to collection. Rarely do they hold the "wagon wheel" look in aquaria, as those marks are essentially bleaching.

Cycloseries typically are in a dome-like shape when viewed from the side; fungia are nearly pancake flat.

 

[evolved]

A common species of fungia in the hobby: Fungia fralinae

A common species of cycloseris in the hobby: Cycloseris tenuis

And the species of long tentacle plate: Heliofungia actiniformis

 

[fishroomlady]

I really like that one at 7 o'clock as well!

 

[FloMojo]

So given the differentiation of dome vs flat, I would say mine is flat. No doming around the mouth. At least for now. Thanks for the explanation! Also, really helpful to know that the wagon wheel pattern is just a temporary bleaching phase. That saves me from future disappointment because I've been tempted to get one on many occasions

 

[FloMojo]

Whats the success rate on fragging these? how long would it typically take to regain it's disc shape? Any insight to actual experience would be appreciated. I have a diamond band saw and experience fragging just about everything else, but never a cycloseris or fungia

 

[evolved]

Whats the success rate on fragging these?

It can be a decent success rate for those comfortable.

how long would it typically take to regain it's disc shape?

Years to a lifetime...

 

[FloMojo]

Well, that length of recovery time wouldn't be worth it all IMO

 

[ReefFreak@]

They don't split other than by damage, but they can be fragged. I have some that have multiple mouths. Mine love barebottom!

thanks for letting me no they don't split! Do you just lay them right on the bare bottom?