Ricordea Yuma losing color - turning white ? Why

[djbacon]

I bought this Yuma about 3 weeks ago ago, it seemed fine for the first week, latley I have noiticed that it is turning white in the middle, losing its purpleness. I hope this is a temporary thing but this is my first Yuma. I've heard of Corals expelling their zoanthelle, hope that isnt the case here. It's also a little scrunched up. this is the most recent pic I have, its even alittle worse than this now.

Can it be getting too much light from 48 watts of pc lighting? Seems to be bleaching.
My other mushrooms are doing well. I dont really have any shady spots in my tank to move it too. I am target feeding occasionally, but not more than once a week.

Apperciate any input from those with experience with this type of coral.
before photo



after photo - this is the most recent one I have - I will post a better one tonight

[lcstorc]

How about some tank specs? Parameters etc.
I think it is more likely it is bleaching from a lack of light rather than too much light but that is just a guess. What lighting was it under before you bought it?
I have several yumas at the top of my tank under 150w MH lighting and they are doing great.

[djbacon]

Current tank specs -

14g biocube with skimmer

SG = 1.026
Temp = 79/80
PH 8.1
Dkh 10
Calc = 480 (a little high)
Nitrates - Undetectable
Phos - Undetectable

lighting is definitely differnt - I have 48watt 10k pcs (about 4 months old) the yuma was under MH before in the LFS but about 2.5 feet from the source (light was about 18" above the surface of the water and yumas were a good foot in the water). all my other corals are doing great.

Everything I have read about corals bleaching suggests its is do to too much light. Puzzled by this one. Any suggestions on therapy? Move it up in the tank closer to lights? Move it to shade? Im hoping for an experienced answer so I dont have to experiment on the little fellow.

Thanks

[AQTCJAK]

I would say lighting is playing a major part

[djbacon]

Agreed, lighting probably has something to do with it, but too much or too little? Its much closer to the source than the store, but I read so much conflicting info. Some say yumas are low light low flow, others say halides are fine. Ive neevr heard of bleaching from too little light. Ive had zonathids fade a little that used to be under halide, but not bleach out.

Here is a better pic from today.

[AQTCJAK]

to little I would say

[djbacon]

can i ask why you think too little? just history from MH lighting? Or in your experience do they need brighter light? Ive read a million conflicting opinions, frustrating...

[deaclauderdale]

I would go with the fact that store you purchased it from had it under MH's and now that you have it home and under a less intense lighting your seeing this result of a loss of color. Even if you have it close to your light source that doesn't mean it receiving the same PAR as what a halide produces and there by you have this problem.

[djbacon]

very true, but in retrospect, they only had it in the store for a single day. (i live across the street) I think it was harvested and a fresh arrival when I got it. My LFS is closed wedneday - im gonna find out tomorrow if it was aquacultured or pulled from the ocean. they still have a few from the same shipment, will take a close look at those too

i just hate to shade it and deprive it of light or put it up high and have it melt without knowing the facts ya know? thanks for your input !!

ugh

[BigAl07]

I would seriously doubt it's too much by any stretch of the imagination. It could be stressed from something else out of sorts in your tank but given it was "New to the Store" I'd say it was probably used to a LOT of light where it was from originally. Propogators use ULTRA high intensity lights in order to really "Push" the corals. It's like injecting BEEF with steroids to make them grow faster. I don't see any way in the world your 48W PC's would be too intense for anything at all. When I move frags from my 130W PC's (in just a 10g tank) into my 90g with dual 150MH and Dual T5's I have to "shade" them for a couple of weeks or they wither down like they are trying to hide (which in a sense they ARE).

[tippMANn98]

I had this happen to an orange FL ricordia, the LFS had it under halides, and the disc bleached just like that under my 144w pcs

[kathywithbirds]

It's pretty. How's it doin' today?

[djbacon]

I wish i could say it was doing better...

Tippmann, did your ricordea, just lose color? Is it ok? does evreyone think I should put it higher up in the tank, closer to the light source?

Appreaciate the advice. I have 2 floridas, both of which are doing fine.

I've been condsidering the nanotuners lighting upgrade for this tank, maybe it's time to get it.

[tippMANn98]

see I am unsure still that my current rics are happy...I have the problem of them "cupping" kinda like the one on your "side tank shot" they all have their color, and same with the new ones growing...same colors.

That one that bleached....I was trying to save it.thinking maybe it would come back....but it had detached and disappeared into my LR structure

[djbacon]

Really appreciate everybodys input here -
anyone following along on this, if you'd be so kind as to include how many yumas you keep or have kept Id appreciate it.

Im getting advice from folks on NCNRS who have tanks full of yuma suggesting to shade it, then you guys who clearly have years of experince too, telling me the opposite -

starting to consider giving it back to the LFS to care for if my lighting is innadequate. very frustrating.