Florida ricordea
Ricordea florida
Also known as Ricordea, Florida Ricordea Mushroom, Ricordea Mushroom
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Ricordeidae
- Origin
- Caribbean and western Atlantic, including Florida and the Gulf
Overview
A sessile Caribbean corallimorph that reproduces by splitting into new heads. It is passive and low-sting, easygoing about placement in the calmer lower reef, and prized more for its jeweled color than for any aggressive behavior.
In the wild
Ricordea florida is a Caribbean corallimorph covered in rounded bubble-like vesicles that catch light beautifully under blue LEDs. It likes low to moderate light, roughly 50 to 120 PAR, and gentle indirect flow that keeps it clean without lifting it off the rock. Place it low to mid in the tank on rock or rubble where it can attach, and acclimate it to your lighting gradually rather than dropping it straight under intense light.
Good to know
Ricordea florida is a corallimorph, not a true stony coral, and unlike its Indo-Pacific cousin Ricordea yuma it comes from the Atlantic. It relies on zooxanthellae for most of its energy and can also take in fine particulate food. Much of the Florida ricordea in the trade is still wild-collected, though aquacultured and split frags are increasingly common, and colonies expand naturally by dividing.
Did you know
The tiny fluorescent vesicles covering a ricordea often glow in mixed colors under actinic light, and a single disc can display a green mouth ringed by orange or blue nubs, which is why collectors chase specific color combinations.
Common questions
What size tank does a Florida ricordea need?
A Florida ricordea needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Florida ricordea need?
A Florida ricordea is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Florida ricordea get?
An adult Florida ricordea reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
Related species
4.7 in (12 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Yuma ricordea
Ricordea yuma
4.7 in (12 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Bullseye mushroom
Rhodactis inchoata
3.1 in (8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Mushroom coral
Discosoma
3.9 in (10 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)St. Thomas mushroom
Rhodactis osculifera
3.9 in (10 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
4.7 in (12 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Button coral
Cynarina lacrymalis
4.7 in (12 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Mobile plate coral
Cycloseris
3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)