What to Feed Mushroom Corals (And Whether You Need To)

Q: What kinds of food can mushroom corals eat?

Small particulate foods are the general category — mushroom corals have relatively simple feeding structures compared to large-polyp LPS corals like hammers, so foods sized for small-polyp corals are more appropriate than the larger meaty chunks discussed in our hammer coral feeding guide. Commonly used options include finely chopped or minced meaty foods (small pieces of seafood), frozen foods marketed for small-polyp corals or filter feeders, and liquid or powdered coral foods designed to be broadcast or target-fed in small quantities. As with feeding any coral, starting with small amounts and observing whether the polyps actually respond — closing slightly around food or showing any capture response — is more useful than assuming a particular food will work without watching for a reaction.

By Hektor Jorgo Published November 12, 2024 Updated June 14, 2026 4 min read

A cluster of mushroom corals (Discosoma) with flat, disc-shaped polyps open in a reef aquarium

Quick Facts

What Mushroom Corals Are: A group of soft corals (genera including Discosoma and Rhodactis) with flat, disc-shaped polyps lacking a hard skeleton
Energy Source: Light: Like most reef corals, mushroom corals host photosynthetic zooxanthellae and get a substantial portion of energy from light
Can They Eat?: Yes — mushroom corals can capture and consume small food particles, though they're often described as feeding less actively than many LPS corals
Is Feeding Necessary?: Not strictly — many mushroom corals do well on lighting alone, but feeding is commonly used to encourage growth and coloration
Suitable Foods: Small particulate foods — finely chopped meaty foods, frozen foods for small polyps, and some liquid/powdered coral foods are commonly used
Feeding Method: Target feeding with a pipette/syringe directly onto an open polyp, similar to feeding other small-polyp corals
Timing: Feeding when polyps are open and extended (not retracted) gives the best chance of the coral actually taking the food
Overfeeding Considerations: Uneaten food can affect water quality — feeding in moderation and observing what's actually consumed is generally recommended

Mushroom corals have a reputation as one of the most forgiving corals to keep — and part of that reputation comes from the fact that they don't need much in the way of feeding. But "don't need" isn't the same as "can't," and target feeding mushroom corals is a common practice among keepers looking to push growth and color.

Short Answer

Mushroom corals (Discosoma, Rhodactis, and related genera) get much of their energy from light via photosynthetic zooxanthellae, the same general strategy covered in our overview of how corals eat, and don't strictly require feeding to survive. That said, they can eat, and many keepers target feed them with small particulate foods — finely chopped meaty foods, frozen foods for small-polyp corals, or liquid/powdered coral foods — to encourage growth and coloration. Feeding works best when polyps are open and extended, using the same general technique covered in our target feeding guide.

Light First, Feeding Optional

Like most corals kept in reef tanks, mushroom corals host zooxanthellae — photosynthetic algae living within their tissue that supply energy from light, the foundational concept covered in our how corals eat overview. This is a major reason mushroom corals are often described as easy to keep: under reasonable lighting, they can sustain themselves without active feeding. Feeding is additive rather than required — it's commonly associated with better growth rates and coloration over time, similar to the reasoning in our target feeding guide, but a mushroom coral kept under good lighting and never target-fed can still do well.

What Mushroom Corals Can Eat

Mushroom corals have simpler feeding structures than large-polyp LPS corals — foods sized for small-polyp corals are more appropriate than the larger meaty pieces discussed in our hammer coral feeding guide. Commonly used options:

Finely chopped or minced meaty foods — small pieces of seafood
Frozen foods marketed for small-polyp corals or filter feeders
Liquid or powdered coral foods designed for broadcast or target feeding in small quantities

As with any coral feeding, start small and watch for a response — slight closing around food or any visible capture behavior — rather than assuming a food will work without observing it.

How to Target Feed a Mushroom Coral

The general technique follows our target feeding guide: use a pipette, syringe, or turkey baster to place a small amount of food directly onto an open polyp, ideally with flow reduced briefly so the food isn't immediately swept away.

Timing matters. Mushroom corals, like other soft corals, go through periods of being more open or more contracted — similar to the open/closed cycles covered in our Kenya tree coral guide — and feeding is most effective when the polyp is open and extended. Because mushroom polyps are flat and disc-shaped rather than having a deep oral opening like some LPS corals, the target is generally the upper surface of an open polyp rather than a specific mouth structure.

A Note on Overfeeding

Uneaten food breaking down in the water is the main downside — the same general consideration covered in our target feeding guide, worth keeping in mind given how easy it can be to feed many polyps across a mushroom coral colony at once. If food consistently drifts away uneaten, that's a cue to reduce the amount or frequency rather than feed more. Given that mushroom corals can derive substantial energy from light alone, there's no urgency to feed heavily — an occasional, measured approach is consistent with how most keepers describe their routine.

Quick Reference

Mushroom corals get much of their energy from light via zooxanthellae, like most reef corals
Feeding is optional, not strictly required, but commonly used to encourage growth/coloration
Suitable foods: finely chopped meaty foods, frozen foods for small-polyp corals, liquid/powdered coral foods
Feed when polyps are open and extended, not contracted
Target the upper surface of an open polyp — mushrooms lack a deep oral opening like some LPS
Start with small amounts and watch for a response before feeding more
Uneaten food can affect water quality — feed in moderation

Frequently Asked Questions

Do mushroom corals actually need to be fed?

Not necessarily — mushroom corals are often described among the easier soft corals to keep partly because they can do well on lighting alone, similar to the general light-dependent energy strategy covered in our overview of how corals eat. Like most reef corals, they host photosynthetic zooxanthellae that supply a substantial portion of their energy needs under reasonable lighting. That said, mushroom corals can eat, and many keepers choose to target feed them anyway — not because it's required for survival, but because feeding is commonly associated with better growth rates and coloration over time, similar to the reasoning covered in our target feeding guide. Whether to feed is largely a matter of goals (faster growth/coloration vs. a simpler routine) rather than a strict requirement either way.

What kinds of food can mushroom corals eat?

Small particulate foods are the general category — mushroom corals have relatively simple feeding structures compared to large-polyp LPS corals like hammers, so foods sized for small-polyp corals are more appropriate than the larger meaty chunks discussed in our hammer coral feeding guide. Commonly used options include finely chopped or minced meaty foods (small pieces of seafood), frozen foods marketed for small-polyp corals or filter feeders, and liquid or powdered coral foods designed to be broadcast or target-fed in small quantities. As with feeding any coral, starting with small amounts and observing whether the polyps actually respond — closing slightly around food or showing any capture response — is more useful than assuming a particular food will work without watching for a reaction.

How do I target feed a mushroom coral?

The general approach follows our target feeding guide: use a pipette, syringe, or turkey baster to deliver a small amount of food directly onto an open polyp, ideally with flow reduced or paused briefly so the food isn't immediately swept away. Timing matters — mushroom corals (and soft corals generally) can have periods where polyps are more contracted, similar to the open/closed cycles discussed in our Kenya tree coral guide, and feeding works best when the polyp is open and extended. Because mushroom coral polyps are relatively flat and disc-shaped compared to the more three-dimensional polyps of corals like hammers, food placed on the upper surface of an open mushroom is the general target — there isn't a deep oral opening to aim into in the same way as some other corals.

Can overfeeding mushroom corals cause problems?

Uneaten food breaking down in the water is the main concern, the same general consideration covered in our target feeding guide for corals generally — it's not specific to mushroom corals, but worth keeping in mind given how easy small-polyp target feeding can be to overdo across a colony with many polyps. Feeding small amounts and observing whether polyps show any response is a reasonable approach; if food consistently goes uneaten and drifts away, that's a sign to reduce the amount or feed less often rather than feed more aggressively. Since mushroom corals can derive substantial energy from lighting alone, there's generally no urgency to feed heavily — a measured, occasional approach is consistent with how many keepers describe their feeding routine for this group.

Sources & Further Reading

About the Author: Hektor Jorgo

Co-Founder & Marine Biologist

Hektor is a co-founder of Sea Life Planet and has kept reef and freshwater aquariums for over 15 years. He holds a background in marine biology and focuses on species care accuracy, water chemistry, and tank husbandry.