Florida False Coral (Ricordea florida)

Florida False Coral Ricordea florida
Name	Florida False Coral
Name Lat.	Ricordea florida
Family	Mushroom Corals
Family lat.	Ricordeidae
Order	Coral Anemones
Order lat.	Corallimorpharia
Origin	Western Atlantic
Diet	Autotrophic, planktivore
pH	8.1-8.4
Hardness	6-10 °KH
Lighting	High
Current	Moderate - strong
Behavior	Semi-aggressive
Keeping	Colony
Care Level	Moderate
Life Span	N/A
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	6 cm
Temperature	22-28 °C
Salinity	33-36 ‰
Aquarium	100 l
US Units
Size	2.4"
Temperature	72-82 °F
Salinity	1.020-1.025 sg
Aquarium	25 gal

Distribution and habitat

The distribution area of Ricordea florida is the tropical West Atlantic from South Florida through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil. They colonize rocks and dead corals on shallow, current-rich coastal reefs.

Maintenance

They should be positioned in a place with high light intensity and moderate to strong, alternating current. Only lime-rich, heavy metal-free substrates should be used as substrate

Filters, skimmers and heaters are necessary to ensure water quality, as well as pumps to simulate tides, swells and bottom currents. It is recommended that live stones be used to set up the aquarium. The bacteria living in the porous stones act as a biological filter. The lighting must correspond to the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals

Salinity: 33-36 ‰	pH value: 8.1-8.4
Carbonate hardness: 6-10 °KH	Nitrate content: 2-8 mg/l
calcium content: 400-450 mg/l	Nitrite content: 0.0-0.05 mg/l
Magnesium content: 1.250-1.350 mg/l	phosphate content: 0.01-0.1 mg/l

Regular addition of trace elements, especially iodine, is recommended. For salinity, an average value should be aimed for, which may only vary slightly by +/- 0.5 ‰. Ammonia and ammonium must not be measurable. Special attention shall be paid to consistently good water quality and water values.

Diet

Zooxanthellae, which are unicellular symbiotic algae, live in their tissue and provide them with assimilation products of their photosynthesis (high light requirement). The zooxanthellae promote growth and provide additional food to the plankton and small particles collected from the water current. Accordingly, in addition to the food produced in the aquarium during fish feeding (mysis, krill, Artemia, etc.), commercial food for lower animals in the form of phyto- and zooplankton, frozen or liquid, should be offered regularly

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms.

Behaviour and compatibility

They live in colonies and can be well socialized with fish that do not consider them food. A sufficient distance to other corals must be kept to avoid encrustation.

Reproduction and breeding

Their asexual reproduction occurs by budding or longitudinal division of the polyp. Reproduction by fragmentation is well possible. For this purpose, small stones are placed at the edge of the colony and after their overgrowth the junction is separated

Important

Three color morphs are known, red, green and blue, although there are also mixed forms with two or three colors.

The additional illumination with actinic light (short-wave, violet-blue light) is very beneficial for their growth (zooxanthellae).

A calcium reactor and a magnesium dosing pump are recommended for the necessary even supply of calcium carbonate and magnesium. Newly introduced animals must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium

If different species are kept together, care should be taken to ensure that fish and invertebrates match each other in terms of water quality and temperature requirements and their social behavior, and that the setup meets the ecological needs of all species kept together.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: Werner Winter; Image: Franz Lowak

Source: KNOP (2013): Lexikon der Meeresaquaristik, Natur und Tier Verlag; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch