Pink Ricordea
Pink ricordea is a type of ricordea that is characterized by its vibrant shades of pink coloring across its trademark raised dots that line its surface. Also known as mushroom coral, false coral, or mushroom anemone, the pink ricordea is extremely plentiful in oceans across the world, particularly in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian oceans.
Pink Ricordea for Beginners and Experts
Aquarists enjoy keeping pink ricordea in home tanks for many reasons- they are low maintenance, relatively hardy, easily propagated, and visually pleasing. The same attributes that make the pink ricordea a great choice for beginners are also appealing to experts.
Ideal Environment for the Pink Ricordea
When introducing pink ricordea to a home tank, they can be placed at the aquarist’s discretion- top, middle, or along the bottom substrate (sand or mud). Just be careful to leave some space between the pink ricordea and other specimens in the tank because of the pink ricordea's aggressive nature. The lighting for pink ricordea in artificial environments does require specific types- T5, power compact, VHO, or metal halides will all be sufficient for pink ricordea and cause the pink ricordea to fluoresce brightly. Generally speaking, pink ricordea prefer higher levels of light than its blue or green counterparts.
Feeding Patterns of the Pink Ricordea
Most, if not all, of the pink ricordeas energy and nutrition will be taken care of by photosynthesis performed by the symbiotic algae it hosts in its tissue. However, pink ricordea do contain a separate digestive system and spot feedings can be offered of zooplankton and artemia.
Cultivating the Pink Ricordea
In the wild, pink ricordea will reproduce by longitudinal fission, a process that can be replicated in captivity using a scalpel. Before beginning, make sure that the pink ricordea is healthy, in an established environment, and have been fed regularly. Unhealthy pink ricordeas that undergo imposed propagation will not thrive on their own. Starting from the mouth of the pink ricordea, radial cuts are made in the direction of the outer disc. These incisions force the pink ricordea into its natural process of longitudinal fission, and within weeks a new pink ricordea polyp will have formed. The quickest way to yield a new pink ricordea is by splitting the coral in half (a few weeks) versus smaller pieces that take longer to heal (a few months). Many aquarists suggest experimenting with inexpensive pink ricordeas before moving on to more favored pink ricordea specimens.
Other Reproduction Patterns of the Pink Ricordea
Pink ricordea also reproduce through budding, which many aquarists refer to in artificial tanks as self propagation. Budding takes place when the pink ricordea shifts from its original position to obtain better lighting or water conditions, leaving remnants of its base in the process. From this small amount of tissue, the pink ricordea will sprout a new head or oral disc.
|
