Ricordea (florida) bleaching / dying

[mje113]

Hi All!

 

A couple months ago one of my happy, vibrant Ricordea Florida's started bleaching out. I'm not sure if it's a "real" bleaching, I never saw it spew anything, but it's little nubs started getting pretty small and colorless starting in one patch that slowly spread.

 

It never actually died but over the next month or so gradually got worse until I decided it was a goner and pitched it.

 

Now I'm seeing the same thing happen to another. There's been no recent changes in lighting or tank params and none of my other dozen or see seem affected (and some are higher and lower in relation to placement in the tank.

 

 

Here you can see where the bleaching is starting, it's kinda in the center and moving outward. It would make me really sad to loose more than this--they're pretty much my favorite corals.

 

Any ideas on what's going on and what I could do to correct it?

 

Thanks,

Mike

[mmcguffi]

lighting and parameters?

[jera891]

I've had the same exact thing happen to two of mine and no one can tell me what it is. They looked exactly like yours though. No changes in lighting or anything. They just randomly started turning white (very slowly might I add). I'd love to find out what it is.

[mmcguffi]

I've had the same exact thing happen to two of mine and no one can tell me what it is. They looked exactly like yours though. No changes in lighting or anything. They just randomly started turning white (very slowly might I add). I'd love to find out what it is.

did you by chance have power compacts you hadnt changed for several months?

[mje113]

So it's a biocube 8, DIY CREE LEDs, 6 royal blue and 3 neutral white.

 

Ok, maybe I tuned the light up a tad recently... but it wouldn't be by much (I tune it for photography and don't really know if I always get them back in the exact right spot).

 

Params

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0.1

SG: 1.025

Temp: 79

PH: 8.03

 

I'm religious about weekly 1.5 gallon water changes. I probably overfeed a bit though I'm trying to scale that back.

 

Crap, now I'm noticing a small patch on my prized ric, I'm dimming the lights for a few days unless anyone has any other suggestions.

 

I will add that ALL my other corals (Acans, Favia, xenia, chalice, candy canes, various mushrooms, tons of zoos) look great.

 

One more observation... I used to feed my Rics every few days, but I've dropped off to less than weekly recently since they've just been looking so happy. When I did feed about 70% would take the food and coincidentally, the ones that have bleached never took food. No idea if there's a connection there or not.

[mmcguffi]

Ive noticed that a lot of my mushrooms (and other corals too) have a really hard time adapting to my LED lighting though I chalked it up to lack of correct spectrum since I have CW:RB. Some corals never adapt or lose tons of their original coloration

 

I always thought that using NW would fix a lot of those problems but I dont have any experience with them so I cant really say for certain

 

The only other thing I can think of is that they are either in a spot that's too dark or too bright (or maybe the flow is weird) so I would maybe just try putting them somewhere else in the tank for a while and see how they do.

 

I would also try to spot feed them if they accept it

[mje113]

The problem is that these Rics should be fully adjusted... they've been in the tank after the LEDs were installed and have been in there since August 11th. In fact many have grown new mouths and split in the past few months.

[Dani3d]

you can try feeding them. cut off the pump for about one hour and put cyclopeeze on them and they should swallow it. They eat extremely slowly but they do eat and appreciate feeding.

[mje113]

Searching around this forum and the internet at large it looks like this is a relatively common problem with no concise solution.

 

In light of that, I'll document my attempts at keeping these rics alive here. Since too much light seems to be the most common answer to ric bleaching, I'm going to dim my LEDs by about 40% for the next week. I'll also reduce the photo period and feed and monitor daily.

[jera891]

Awesome. keep us updated. I'd like to know so I can save the one that's struggling in my tank

[mje113]

For the sake of documentation, here's a detail shot of the new spot on a different ricordea I just noticed this morning:

 

 

Note: the rest of this three mouthed monster is looking as healthy as I can imagine, saturated color, plump, skirt nubs (if that's what they're called) are fully extended--almost tentacle-like.

[rockryno]

ive lost a yellow ric to this same problem. the "nubs" got smaller, then the whole thing just slowly lightened up and got smaller. keep us posted.

[wartskin]

Nice pic, have you checked all parameters?

[mje113]

Thanks everyone... yep, params checked yesterday (near the top of the thread), except those that I don't have a test kit for. The only one that I think could be relevant is phosphate, but I've been running a bag of phosguard since day #1.

 

Another thing I thought of this morning, I used to have a very long photo-period. Longer than what seems usual on these boards (11 hours). I've drastically dialed that back to 7, maybe I should even go shorter? Keep in mind that this is in addition to dimming my LEDs (and don't forget that all my other corals are thriving).

 

- M

[PinkDamsel]

Ive noticed that a lot of my mushrooms (and other corals too) have a really hard time adapting to my LED lighting though I chalked it up to lack of correct spectrum since I have CW:RB. Some corals never adapt or lose tons of their original coloration

 

I always thought that using NW would fix a lot of those problems but I dont have any experience with them so I cant really say for certain

 

Same thing happened to me: the ric wouldn't adjust when I switched to (rb/cw) LED, even w. screening to acclimate. I kept moving him into dark areas and he'd respond as if there wasn't enough light, then if I put him in a brighter spot he'd shrink super-small and lose color. Finally Dax gave up the ghost.

[wartskin]

You should really check your alk & calcium too

[mje113]

Alkalinity is 4.5 meq/L. No Calcium test so I'll see if I can make it to the LFS later today to pick one up. I'd wager a guess though that it's inline with what it should be. I'm using Reef Crystals for a 1 gallon water change per week.

 

Just curious... is there a theory behind calcium and alkalinity affecting "spot" bleaching on ricordea?

[rockryno]

seems like a common theme between the stories is the LED lights. Maybe some are just more tolerant than others?

[mje113]

Well that would be a real bummer if it's LEDs lacking some part of the spectrum these guys need. Maybe I should see if I can stick a CF bulb back in my hood?

 

Day #3 of dimmer light and shorter photoperiod. I wouldn't expect a change yet and so far it doesn't look any worse or better:

 

 

I did notice when feeding yesterday that there is a wee little mouth very close to this section. In fact it may have (or is in the process of) split from the rest.

[Lawnman]

I read a few posts but not all. If a ric is bleaching it HAS to be led lighting is to strong. I have rics growing in my tank in complete dark. They still have color. I have seen this before with leds and when a guy on here switched from 150 watt hqi to 250. They bleached then melted.

[mje113]

Ugh... experiment over. Being day #5 I figured I'd make a decision today on whether reduced lighting is helping and either stop or continue. Lights have been on now for 4 hours and this is how the Rics look:

 

 

 

Not sure how apparent it is from the photos but ALL the Ric's skirts are pointing up and the nubs are loosing color. I'm guessing they're reaching for light. Confirmed, dialed the 2 LED channels up and 5 minutes later they look normal again. At this point I'd rather risk loosing a couple than jeopardize all of them.

[msscha]

I read through the thread simply b/c I have ricordea, too, that are becoming my favorites, though not bleaching. Just wanted to say that these photos are beautiful.

[mje113]

Just wanted to say that these photos are beautiful.

 

Thanks msscha! Maybe someday I'll get around to creating a tank thread.

 

In other news... The bleaching is getting worse slowly but surely. I think that when I have some time this weekend I'm going to get a better look at this part of the polyp to see if has really fully separated from the rest like I suspect it has. And if it hasn't? I think I'm going to get out the scalpel and do some surgery...

[R1sky_Biz]

Anyone else seeing these same issues? I have a couple rics in my tank and one of them is fine, the other looks like the nubs are getting smaller and the "body" is bleaching a bit.. I just noticed that the one of the heads is wide open.. Anyone had experience with this?

 

[Red_Blenny]

Anyone else seeing these same issues? I have a couple rics in my tank and one of them is fine, the other looks like the nubs are getting smaller and the "body" is bleaching a bit.. I just noticed that the one of the heads is wide open.. Anyone had experience with this?

 

 

For me, I put them in the shade (or lower my lighting) and try to light accumulate my R. flordias. Try putting it in the shade and see if it looks better.

 

Just wondering, did the ric in question come from the same source with your other rics that are doing fine?