Ricordias and Yuma Rare and Common colors?

[hma]

Dosing of calium is not easy, it can be very dangerous for our animals. Too much calium are highly toxic. please take the right dose of calium only if a precise measurement is possible for you.

 

[flricordia]

Dosing of calium is not easy, it can be very dangerous for our animals. Too much calium are highly toxic. please take the right dose of calium only if a precise measurement is possible for you.

Personally I have always used kalkwasser and have had no problems. I am interested in a statement you made about sps and nitrates. From my understanding and from what I have seen, sps actually do better in a system with a measuable amount of nitrates, usually from excess fish excretment. Their color brightens overall and growth increases rather then in a system that is stripped of excess nutrients.

 

[hma]

hma. Have you tryed to simulate the color changes of Florida ricordia in the closed system? Through lowering the duation of lighting and cooler temps? Interesting. Once I convert to all ricordia tank I may try that and see what happens. Though it might be best to leave yuma ricordias out of an experiment like this.

I had a tank with animals from the Mediterranean. The temperature in this tank amounted to 22-23°C, the lighting duration and intensity were clearly smaller than in my reef tank. Into this tank I set a small colony (5 disks) neon green Ricordias by way of trial. After 3 months all disks were clearly darker and showed more blue-green than before. The differences in color were not to be seen as strong as visible in nature, but surely visibly.

 

[hma]

Personally I have always used kalkwasser and have had no problems. I am interested in a statement you made about sps and nitrates. From my understanding and from what I have seen, sps actually do better in a system with a measuable amount of nitrates, usually from excess fish excretment. Their color brightens overall and growth increases rather then in a system that is stripped of excess nutrients.

I think the same way. SPS needs a small quantity nitrate, which of Zooxanthelles to oxygen processed . The nitrate level should never exceed 5. In the ocean nitrate is provable only at very large expenditure, latently however available. Even if our usual measuring instruments do not indicate a nitrate, nevertheless nitrate is in each aquarium available,but not with our measuring detectably. Who holds fish and corals and also feeds therefore, inevitably nitrate has.

 

[Witfull]

also, just as with phosphates,,, as its produced, its taken up by organisms, leaving a false negative reading.

 

[hma]

I think the same way. SPS needs a small quantity nitrate, which of Zooxanthelles to oxygen processed . The nitrate level should never exceed 5. In the ocean nitrate is provable only at very large expenditure, latently however available. Even if our usual measuring instruments do not indicate a nitrate, nevertheless nitrate is in each aquarium available,but not with our measuring detectably. Who holds fish and corals and also feeds therefore, inevitably nitrate has.

BTW - KALKWASSER is NOTthe same as CALIUM. Kalkwasser is Calciumhydroxid it consists of: Calcium (CA), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) = Ca(OH)2

and Calciumcarbonat consist of: Calcium (CA), carbon (C) and oxygen (O) = CaCO3


In our aquarium develops = Ca2+ + 2 OH- + 2 CO2 = Ca(HCO3)2 = Calciumhydrogencarbonat

 

[Octoman]

I was under the impression that kalkwasser was CaCO3, but I always wondered how it dissolved so quickly...

It makes much more sense that it's Ca(OH)2 and it makes the bicarbonate (HCO3) from reacting with CO2 in the tank, thus buffering the system and increasing Ca at the same time.

Thanks for clearing that up for me Heinz!

 

[flricordia]

BTW - KALKWASSER is NOTthe same as CALIUM. Kalkwasser is Calciumhydroxid it consists of: Calcium (CA), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) = Ca(OH)2

and Calciumcarbonat consist of: Calcium (CA), carbon (C) and oxygen (O) = CaCO3


In our aquarium develops = Ca2+ + 2 OH- + 2 CO2 = Ca(HCO3)2 = Calciumhydrogencarbonat

I use kalk pretty much to control ph. I also use the brand Kent's liquid calcium daily, though I do not test. I also use Kent's iodine and moly/stront and there again, please don't bash me, I do not test. I know I should be, I guess after a time I tend to look at the reef inhabitants to read signs of how water quality is, though I know this is probably not too smart. I am maintaining tanks for others and there again I don't do any testing, but study algae growth, fish respiration, coral color, expansion, feeding, invert activity and a few other signs at the back of my mind. Of, coarse I would not reccommend this to anyone. I have strict maintainance routines I follow in each tank. With increased bio-load comes variation in care whether addition or reduction, increased in frequency or decrease based on animal reaction.

 

[vdituri]

Thank you Heinz and Flricordia (sorry I don't know your name?)
for the lively discussion.

Flricoridia, I don't think anyone will bash YOU. You have an amazing tank of Rics. Anyone I believe can monitor their tanks w/o testing once they have had it a long time and know what to look for. All the best on your all Ric tank.

Heinz, I always respect your input on reef life. Thank you for your input. I have learned from both of you. Testing testing testing.

 

[vdituri]

One question people.

Would multi colored rics and yumas be a seasonal coloration as they transition from one color to the other or are some varieties permanently bi or tri colored?

Before I buy a fancy rainbow Ricordia and have it go all green. lol

thank you in advance.

 

[hma]

One question people.

Would multi colored rics and yumas be a seasonal coloration as they transition from one color to the other or are some varieties permanently bi or tri colored?

Before I buy a fancy rainbow Ricordia and have it go all green. lol

thank you in advance.

Would I hold then so multicolored Rics, Victor?

No fear Victor, if you reads my loooooooooong "essay" on page 4, there is located that the colors in an aquarium as well as never changes. They can become about more intensive, if one operates the aquarium with less temperature and the lighting duration reduced. The coloredness is changed however in the aquarium definitely only in completely few exceptional cases.

 

[JFK_Jr]

These guys were mostly orange when I first got them... since then the blue has developed a lot more.

 

[vdituri]

Stunning photography of amazing specimens!

I was just staring at them for a while there. lol

 

[mps9506]

The Ricordeas is fed by me additionally with Phytoplankton from own breed.



In the time between summers and winters the colors of the Ricordeas develop very differently. During this period one finds many so-called multicolored Ricordeas, which unite partially a whole palette of color in itself beside the most different single colors. As above described acting nature leads to the fact that during the entire yearly polyps in most different colors are found. The natural mutation leads to the fact that there are not always directly many polyps of an identical color.

thanks for your info heinz. i have a few questions.
First is why do you feed phytoplantkon instead of zooplankton to your ricordias? I have noticed in the past I get a much more vigorous feeding response from my ricordias when feeding a larger zooplankton mixture. I also would like to know what type of species of phytoplankton you are using. I have only cultured Nannochloropsis and Isochrysis in the past.

My next questions are regarding the coloration changes you have observed. You have noticed a natural coloration change in the polyps according to seasonal variations and other variables, why do you suppose coloration of ricordia polyps seem stable in captivity. Other than having observed polyps that were not well taken care of exhibit bleaching and the "transparent" or white color I have not noticed any major color variation in my yuma or florida specimens in the past even under different lighting or tank depths int he past. Maybe differences in intensity of color but not an actual color shift.

As always, great getting to read your input and experiences

 

[hma]

1 - First is why do you feed phytoplantkon instead of zooplankton to your ricordias?

My Ricordias get enough zooplankton of the "normal" fish feeding. I feed additionally phytoplankton there it has a substantially higher proportion in proteins than zooplankton. In addition, it is lighter to fortify with Selcon 3000.

2 - I also would like to know what type of species of phytoplankton you are using.

Nannochloropsis, Isochrysis and Tetraselmis. For my phytoplanktoncultures I use a phyto planktonconcentrate of Kroon AQA. It is fortified by me, in addition, with Brachionus Nauplien before the feeding. However, this is real only something for specialists, the normal Reefer already has bigger problems with the breeding of Brachionus, this is why I have also not mentioned it.

3 - why do you suppose coloration of ricordia polyps seem stable in captivity.

Because I could ascertain up to now still no colour change, apart from the normal to very light colour changes with stronger temperature change in the aquarium with my Ricordias. In the sea you can observe the seasonal colour changes very well.

Unfortunately, I can only speculate why it comes to no colour change in our aquariums. My supposition is, it could lie with the missing, in the sea, however, to taking place, Seasonally conditioned temperature variations linkedly with much less light in the winter half-year.

 

[mps9506]

Because I could ascertain up to now still no colour change, apart from the normal to very light colour changes with stronger temperature change in the aquarium with my Ricordias. In the sea you can observe the seasonal colour changes very well.

This I am extremely interested in. I haven't had the opportunity to observe ricordia yuma in the wild and this really perks my interest
So the change in combination of photo period, light intensity and temperature should result in very noticeable change in pigment coloration of ricordia?

Also I may not have worded my orignal question on the color change very well. My question is more regarding why I don't see a color change when I get a wild collected colony from an importer and place it in my tank with different water conditions that the wild. ie, although I may get a colony from an importer in January and July I don't notice a change in coloration of the ricordia color when they are introduced to the tank. Although they are from seasonally different waters, and are introduced to a tank with fairly constant water chemistry, temp and light. shouldn't either the ones collected in the summer or the ones collected in the winter time show a change in coloration?

I know since it is not the same polyp or from the same colony it is not a fair comparison to compare two distinct colonies for color change, but it seems that one or the other would show significant color change when introduced to different water conditions.

I hope this doesn't come off sounding argumentative. Just trying to pick your brain and learn a little bit for myself in the process

 

[hma]

One of my friends imported Ricordias and is involved in a Ricordia farm. With him and one of his employees I was quite several times diving and could see thus myself the differences. My friend as well as his partners find up to now no logical explanation why in the sea a colour change takes place, but in the aquariums not. Even my black Ricordias will not change or paler the tone. We do not know the reason, or can not fathom him yet.

 

[mps9506]

hmmm...
Maybe a future experiment? Sure would take a lot of ricorida and tanks to setup proper control and experimental tanks to play with photoperiod, light, temp etc
My immediate guess would be light exposure, maybe a factor of light intensity, and photoperiod causing a change in the pigments to either block excess light or direct more usable light to zooxanthellae. I know similar theories exist with coloration variation in Acropora sp.
I have never even observed Ricordia yuma in the wild so I probably shouldn't even fathom a guess without having seen and experienced the conditions in which they are naturally found.

 

[hma]

There I agree with you. However, I think is not the only releasing reason. My supposition further goes in the direction of food. In winter the water is clearly clear as in the spring and summer. The reason is the phytoplankton increasingly appearing in summer in the sea, the water clouds minimally. In sommer more phytoplankton as food is available than in winter. But much more zooplankton is to be found in winter. However, phytoplankton has to support by the interest in chlorophyll the quality rather darker colours. A supposition, I am no biologist, but a possibility.


BTW ... this is also the reason why I phytoplankton feeds to my Ricordias.

 

[flricordia]

hmmm...
Maybe a future experiment? Sure would take a lot of ricorida and tanks to setup proper control and experimental tanks to play with photoperiod, light, temp etc
My immediate guess would be light exposure, maybe a factor of light intensity, and photoperiod causing a change in the pigments to either block excess light or direct more usable light to zooxanthellae. I know similar theories exist with coloration variation in Acropora sp.
I have never even observed Ricordia yuma in the wild so I probably shouldn't even fathom a guess without having seen and experienced the conditions in which they are naturally found.

I would have to agree, at least in the tank why they change. I have noticed high placed lemon ricordias change toward green and lower placed stay pretty much the same (MH), pink and blue darken to more intense hues under higher lighting same with orange. Don't think feeding has alot to do with color much, just growth and mouths produced.
I have noticed that splitting occures much faster under less intense light levels, PC vs MH (not shadowed lighting or low light levels).
Lately I have played around with T5 HO actinics and have noticed the colors of all my corallimorpharians intensify, not just ricordia, along with zoanthids (also an increase in growth, especially in the zoanthids and new polyps appearing) which seems to me to almost contradict what I just said before.
:smck: