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Mussids are loosely reffered to as "open brain" corals. Although these corals are very popular with marine aquarists, due to their slow growth and reproduction they can be prone to local overharvesting. Please use moderation and discretion when deciding to aquire corals within this group, especially the larger solitary species such as Scolymia and Cynarina.
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Mussids are some of the fleshiest and largest polyped stony corals. Corals can appear 'toothy' when the polyp is retracted or puffy when the polyp is extended. Many species occur as large solitary polyps but they also grow as branching, massive or encrusting colonies. Mussids can be very brilliantly colored and they often occur in shades of green, red, orange and combinations thereof.
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The Mussid corals are most commonly found in sheltered and deeper reef habitats so they should be provided with moderate flow speeds and moderate to intermediate light intensities. The large polyps of mussids will eagerly accept medium to large meaty food fares.
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Due to their slow growth and shape, most Mussids are less than ideal candidates for propagation. Branching species are easily fragmented but encrusting species require some effort to cut using a dremel wheel ot tile saw. Growth rates are greatly enhanced with regular target feeding.
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