OG Bounce Mushroom

O.G Bounce Mushrooms are generally considered to be the first widely available bounce mushroom morph and were originally cultivated by World Wide Corals. They have orange bubbles with a green and purple base and are regarded as the original bounce mushroom. Bounce Mushrooms are a unique variation of Rhodactis mushrooms. What sets them apart from a regular Rhodactis is that they develop very large and brightly coloured polyps that look like bubbles, thus giving them their “bounce” name. They are almost never found in their “bounce” form in the wild and divers must collect scores of Rhodactis mushrooms in hopes that a handful will develop the trademark bubbles. It has been hypothesized that being brought from the wild into captivity is what makes some Rhodactis “bounce” but this has not been proven. Despite its high price tag this coral is easy to keep and does not require any special care.

O.G Bounce Mushrooms begin as regular Rhodactis mushrooms, which are found all over the Indo-Pacific region. They are found in bays, lagoons, shallow reefs and reef slopes. In a home aquarium they should be placed at the bottom of the tank where they will be protected from high light and flow. It is important to note that Bounce Mushrooms are almost never found in the wild and only “bounce” while in captivity. This contributes to their high price because it is impossible to tell which Rhodactis mushrooms will bounce. There is not even any guarantee that a frag from a bounce mushroom will develop the trademark swollen polyps.

O.G Bounce Mushrooms prefer lower levels of light and can be damaged if they are exposed to high levels of light. For this reason, they should be placed near the bottom of the tank. They also do best in low flow areas, as this will prevent the mushroom from being blown around excessively. Too much flow can even cause them to detach and be sucked into a powerhead.

Like all mushrooms, O.G Bounce Mushrooms are photosynthetic and use aquarium lighting to meet their energy needs. However, due to their beauty, rarity and expense many hobbyists will carefully feed them as well. If desired they can be fed microplankton or other solutions designed for filter feeders. Generally, Bounce Mushrooms do not reproduce as readily as some other mushroom species, but can be propagated by carefully cutting a piece from a larger specimen. This should be done carefully and success is not guaranteed. When handling the coral it is very important to not damage the inflated polyps.

While undeniably expensive O.G Bounce Mushrooms give the hobbyist a chance to own a beautiful and easy to keep piece of reefing history.