Ricordias and Yuma Rare and Common colors?

[mps9506]

Originally Posted by hma

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

[hma]

I also do not believe the different feed the cause for a colour change of the Ricordias in the sea is, at least the interest is relatively low in it. What I wanted to say is which could be it one of the releasing causes in connection with temperature and light change.

[InLimbo87]

I have two ricordeas in my tank, but I'm most definitely looking for more. I have a blue FL ric and a pink (rainbow?) yuma.

Here's a pic of the yuma:

[Techno-Vicki]

Originally Posted by flricordia

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.

Very interesting. Have you done any splitting of your yumas? Also, besides low lighting, what do you do for your green yumas? I have trouble them.

[flricordia]

But not really familiar with the T5s (actinics) yet and the change going on with my corallimorpharians and zoanthids I wonder if the ligghting has become representitive of a seasonal change, such as Heinz has stated. The change in their growth and coloration is such that it may warrent a senario where the T5 actinics could be switched out for daylight 50/50 VHOs and the response noted, keeping water parameters and feed levels the same of course.
Or maybe it could be that it is just too early in the morning for me and I don't know what I am saying.

[flricordia]

Originally Posted by Techno-Vicki

Very interesting. Have you done any splitting of your yumas? Also, besides low lighting, what do you do for your green yumas? I have trouble them.

By splitting if you mean cutting them I only cut FL ricordias, though I have with much success cut yumas in the past. Once they are established, remain firm once withdrawn due to a physical prodding with the finger or such, they can be cut through the mouth, but can still regrow if the mouthpart is missing on a portion.
But yumas, as with other corallimorpharinas, excluding Fl ricordias, move leaving small portions behind, which grow into new yumas.
Note that splitting is not limited to the Fl ricordia in the corallimorpharian group. There are others that can reproduce by both methods naturally.
And I did not mean low lighting, I tryed to make that clear, though I have trouble getting my meaning across at times, I meant low par, intensity, not shadowed or indirect lighting.
Example being 70 wts MH 14K vs 2x36wt PC 50/50s. Same wattage but different (intensities?).

[Flamehawk]

As far as ricordia florida, According to the most recent article by Daniel Knop, from common to rarest: Green, blue-grey, orange/pinks.

From our experience, and i have ben lucky enough to have personally seen at least 100,000 polyps over the years, the rarest are the nicely colored rainbows becuase they are each unique.

There is also the bicolors and tricolors and dont forget the the "half and half"'s which is a solid color on left side of polyp and completely differnt solid color to the right side. That morph is probably 1 in 10,000.

But it all depends on what location you are talking about.

It is my experience that the ones from the florida keys and bahamas tend to have the more solid polyps albeit colorful, where as the ones from Haiti, the dominican republic tend to have more rainbows and a larger number of colors in the mix. I have not seen bright blue ones from the florida keys of bahamas but they do have the blue-grey in LARGE amounts.

Hope this helps, JOHNNY

[Flamehawk]

Originally Posted by 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.

The rainbow coloration is permanent. It will vary a little in shade depending on aquarium conditions, espcially lighthing and temperatures.

I think you are thinking of how some goldfish start out black and turn golden later? LOL

Hope this helps,JOHNNY

[flricordia]

Originally Posted by Flamehawk

... the rarest are the nicely colored rainbows becuase they are each unique.

Would have to agree. They are beautiful indeed and my LRS is due to be getting some in tomarrow. And it probably isn't hard to guess who will be there panting like a dog with his wallet in hand.

[Techno-Vicki]

Originally Posted by flricordia

Would have to agree. They are beautiful indeed and my LRS is due to be getting some in tomarrow. And it probably isn't hard to guess who will be there panting like a dog with his wallet in hand.

Too funny thanks for the info.

[Craig Manoukian]

Awesome discussion and fabulous information!