Polyp density in Ricordea

[RandyO]

I have noted that most of the Ricordea I have seen has a fairly dense polyp counts. Mine has a fairly wide spread appearance maybe half to 1 third of the images I have seen. Is this indicative of health or maybe a lack of something?

I would post an image but new digital is not here yet. And like my open brain coral (white, neon pink neon green) I cant find an image even remotely close to the same (got to love the diversity of coral)

This is a dark fleshy color with really vibrant green tips. It is also spreading itself out very wide and thin further making itself look rather short on bulbs.

It is also pretty animated, it likes to open wide then like fold up on itself looking like a big ballon. Then it just opens up again. Am kind of hoping this is normal...

[OodleyBoodely]

Sounds about right to me. My orange yumas will spread to a full 4.5 - 5 inches in diameter by the middle of the afternoon but generally much smaller at other (various) times of the day.

[OodleyBoodely]

This is one of my big ricos-gets upto 5" by about 4 to 5pm.

I have noted that most of the Ricordea I have seen has a fairly dense polyp counts. Mine has a fairly wide spread appearance

Just an FYI, the 'bubbles' on the Ricordias are not polyps. Each Ricordia is one indivi dual polyp covered in bumpy growths. Some of those bumps can get quite large and balloon-like. One of mine has bumps that as large as my thumbnail and others (on the same rico) that are corkscrew-shaped.

[RandyO]

New digital gets here monday! Nikon coolpix 5400 $149 and has a 4X macro so I guess I shall see. I guess I could have used my SLR but just to lazy to pull lenses and run film around... digital laziness?

Well this tank turned a month old incidently, and you know I read tons about "cycling" occuring. Well it never happened. Nitrite, nitrate, ammonia never did a thing. Am guessing that the rock was cured really well and the live sand was in fact good.

I did start with

20lbs Live Sand
20 Live Rock (cured for 5 weeks)
14lbs new lace rock

not much was going on so I even tried to provoke the tank and feed the thing some beta food. I got a great respone from all the tiny shrips and critters in the live sand as well as it finally put enough nutrient into the water after a couple feedings to spawn an algae bloom.

I added a

Detrivore kit @ 10 days (inland aquatics)
Emerald crab @ 14 days

Skunk cleaner shrimp @21 days
1 open brain coral @21 days
6 astrea snails @ 24 days (algae control)
1 green star polyp @28 days
Royal Gramma @28 days (Mrs wanted to see a fish)
1 small zoo frag. @28

Hope I didnt put in too much to fast. Watching the levels pretty close and figure thats it for a few weeks or so. I do have a backup tank running in case things get ugly.

Also you guys could have given me a heads up on the Mrs. "Gee honey I found a couple of the reciepts for stuff for the tank, is there more?" DOH!!

How the heck you hide this hobby cost from the finance dept anyway?

[OodleyBoodely]

Originally Posted by RandyO

....Also you guys could have given me a heads up on the Mrs. "Gee honey I found a couple of the reciepts for stuff for the tank, is there more?" DOH!!

How the heck you hide this hobby cost from the finance dept anyway?

Welcome to the hobby!

Helpful hint #1 if she controls the purse strings.....buy her her own reef tank! Otherwise,
Helpful hint#2 what she doesn't know is probably best for your marriage!

[yardboy]

I try to only by half of what I can afford, as the other half will go for jewelry or clothes! It also definitely helps to get her involved. I'll call Genie in the morning from work and say, "Hi, Honey, how are you doing? How's your day going? Would you mind checking to see if that Ricordia has opened up this mornng yet?"

Go slow and careful about it and eventually she'll call you one day and say "There's a funny noise coming from your top-off container, what's up" "Oops, forgot to fill it this morning, can you do it?" Of course it helps if all she has to do is grab the hose from the RO/DI storage tank and open a valve to fill it up!
Eventually you'll know she's on your side when she calls and says,"Oh my God, when I put some blender mush in this morning the Favia expanded his tentacles like crazy!"
Of course, the "Piece de Resistance" is when she gives you a Gift Certificate from your favorite LFS for Valentines Day! (Understand you wouldn't want to do that to her. Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, clothes and Dinner are still her choices!)

[RandyO]

Ok here is the mushroom (and incidently the first picture with this camera. It is pretty obvious I need some filters so they are on the way, will update this image when I get a polarized filter on. My open brain is below this one


Aint easy being pink/green

[OodleyBoodely]

Hmmmm......That would look so good in my collection....I've got a thing for brains!

[RandyO]

It is a problem to photograph as it is so white. I can not get it to image in a full tank shot. It just burns out. I am going to try some filters and see if that doesnt help.