Yuma Ricordea
Ricordea yuma
Also known as: Ricordea Mushroom, Yuma Mushroom
A jewel-toned mushroom coral that's surprisingly forgiving for new reef keepers.
About
Found on shallow reef flats and rubble zones across the West Indian Ocean, including waters off Tanzania, Ricordea yuma is a corallimorph. A soft, disc-shaped creature that sits somewhere between a true coral and an anemone. Unlike its Caribbean relative, this Indo-Pacific species is renowned for the almost surreal range of colors it expresses: greens, oranges, purples, and multicolored morphs covered in distinctive bubble-like vesicles that give the disc a textured, almost beaded appearance. Each polyp is a single individual that attaches to hard substrate and slowly expands during the day to capture both light and passing nutrients. In the reef tank it asks for relatively modest conditions. Moderate lighting suits it well, and it actually prefers calmer water flow rather than the stronger currents you might run for SPS corals. It will move if unhappy, so give it room and avoid placing it where it might contact neighboring corals. Reproduction by fission is common in healthy specimens, so a single polyp can become a small colony over time. For a newer reef keeper wanting to start exploring corallimorphs, this species is a genuinely accessible and rewarding choice.
Similar species
Other coral you might consider
Good tank mates
Species that tend to coexist peacefully with Yuma Ricordea
From the same region
Share the same natural habitat. Great for a biotope-themed tank
Frequently asked questions
- What does the Yuma Ricordea eat?
- The Yuma Ricordea is a filter feeder. It eats tiny particles suspended in the water and usually needs target feeding in a home tank.
- Is the Yuma Ricordea reef safe?
- The Yuma Ricordea is generally considered reef safe.