Trying to save a ricordea

[OCD420]

I had 2 ricordeas, an orange and a blue one. They were growing nicely and both actually split over the span of 3-5months. Moved them from my 29G to my 75G and they began to shrink/deform... at first I thought it could be just the shock or maybe my flow/light was too strong, so I moved them around several times trying to find a sweet spot. Well, about a week ago I discovered that they were gone... just a frag plug in its place. Long story short I realized that it was my peppermint shrimp picking at/eating them.

So yesterday I was cleaning and doing my WC when I noticed that the blue one was still alive and wedged under my rockscape in a small hole. It has been through enough, so I don’t want to glue it down to a plug... I decided to put it in my HOB refugium.

So my question is, will the small LED that I have be enough light? I have healthy chaeto and red macro in there now, so are the light requirements for ricordea on par with them?

I added the fresh rubble yesterday because I didn’t want the GHA in the 3rd compartment to irritate it any further.
My light is apart of this combo...

I should also mention that the light was killing my chaeto when I first set it up and that I had to tape white mesh to the top of the lid to reduce the intensity... everything has been going well ever since.
So, should I leave it in there or fabricate an in tank solution out of some plastic?
I know this is not an expensive coral and that it can be easily replaced... but I’d rather save this one as I have found that to be a rewarding experience.

 

[P-Dub]

I had 2 ricordeas, an orange and a blue one. They were growing nicely and both actually split over the span of 3-5months. Moved them from my 29G to my 75G and they began to shrink/deform... at first I thought it could be just the shock or maybe my flow/light was too strong, so I moved them around several times trying to find a sweet spot. Well, about a week ago I discovered that they were gone... just a frag plug in its place. Long story short I realized that it was my peppermint shrimp picking at/eating them.

So yesterday I was cleaning and doing my WC when I noticed that the blue one was still alive and wedged under my rockscape in a small hole. It has been through enough, so I don’t want to glue it down to a plug... I decided to put it in my HOB refugium.

So my question is, will the small LED that I have be enough light? I have healthy chaeto and red macro in there now, so are the light requirements for ricordea on par with them?

I added the fresh rubble yesterday because I didn’t want the GHA in the 3rd compartment to irritate it any further.
My light is apart of this combo...

I should also mention that the light was killing my chaeto when I first set it up and that I had to tape white mesh to the top of the lid to reduce the intensity... everything has been going well ever since.
So, should I leave it in there or fabricate an in tank solution out of some plastic?
I know this is not an expensive coral and that it can be easily replaced... but I’d rather save this one as I have found that to be a rewarding experience.

I think it will be fine, however, monitor and if not happy relocate to the DT and aggressively hand feed your peppermint. They will go for these corals when not satiated. Another option is to remove the peppermint and place this in your refugium and only place back in the DT when needed. If you have no apstasia then this might be the best solution. Your call though.

 

[John3]

I find the green ones like higher lighting and the oranges ones lower lighting. If they started to melt the shrimp is gonna eat the dying flesh. I think shrimp get a bad rap in most cases. They normally only eat dead/dying stuff. In some cases that is actually beneficial, for example they will eat off the dead tissue stopping it from spreading further. The one thing I don’t like is when they steal food from corals. They can cut up a coral when doing that.

 

[OCD420]

I think it will be fine, however, monitor and if not happy relocate to the DT and aggressively hand feed your peppermint. They will go for these corals when not satiated. Another option is to remove the peppermint and place this in your refugium and only place back in the DT when needed. If you have no apstasia then this might be the best solution. Your call though.

I relocated the peppermint shrimp to my 29G a day or two after this incident. I waited until the lights went out and used my green spotlight to investigate and sure enough it was picking at one of my new flowerpots... that is when I realized what was happening.
I checked on the ricordea this morning and it hasn’t grown or shrank... time will tell.
Thanks for taking the time to respond and I appreciate your input.

 

[OCD420]

I find the green ones like higher lighting and the oranges ones lower lighting. If they started to melt the shrimp is gonna eat the dying flesh. I think shrimp get a bad rap in most cases. They normally only eat dead/dying stuff. In some cases that is actually beneficial, for example they will eat off the dead tissue stopping it from spreading further. The one thing I don’t like is when they steal food from corals. They can cut up a coral when doing that.

I noticed that as well.
I also liked having it in my tank and watching it tap dance its way over to the mysis when I dropped it in. I like my corals more though,lol... I can’t say for sure that he was the cause, but I have now eliminated him as a potential threat.

 

[OCD420]

I noticed that as well.
I also liked having it in my tank and watching it tap dance its way over to the mysis when I dropped it in. I like my corals more though,lol... I can’t say for sure that he was the cause, but I have now eliminated him as a potential threat.

Thanks for the input btw, appreciate it!

 

[P-Dub]

I relocated the peppermint shrimp to my 29G a day or two after this incident. I waited until the lights went out and used my green spotlight to investigate and sure enough it was picking at one of my new flowerpots... that is when I realized what was happening.
I checked on the ricordea this morning and it hasn’t grown or shrank... time will tell.
Thanks for taking the time to respond and I appreciate your input.

Anything we can do to help. Strangely, we are really all in this together here on R2R...