rics getting darker! pretty!

Riona · #1 10/18/2007, 12:46 AM

When I first got my little blue rics they were a nice light blue colouring, now they're becoming dark blue. Is there any reason for that? Were they just stressed when I got them and are now getting darker as they are getting happier or is there some other reason?

Same piece when I got it a few months ago and now.

edit: it's probably healthier now, right? looking at the pics side by side it looks that way to me, what do you guys think?

Azurel · #2 10/18/2007, 12:14 PM

It is most likely the lighting difference.....Is your lighting more intense then what they were under? I have had rics get more vivid in the coloration over time under my lighting as well......

God of thunder · #3 10/26/2007, 11:24 AM

Will they get dark under strong lights or the oppisite?

besl · #4 10/26/2007, 11:26 AM

I see they were on the LR at first and now on the sand... I suspect that they are getting less iight on the sand bed and are coloring up more... my orange rics love light where as my green and blue rics prefer shade.

Travis L. Stevens · #5 10/26/2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

When I first got my little blue rics they were a nice light blue colouring, now they're becoming dark blue. Is there any reason for that? Were they just stressed when I got them and are now getting darker as they are getting happier or is there some other reason?

What you see happening is a good thing. That is the way a Ricordea is supposed to look. I've been seeing a trend in stores (online and local) with more and more Ricordea coming in bleached out. Given some time in a tank with good conditions and lighting, and they will darken up and look good.

Riona · #6 10/27/2007, 10:42 PM

I dunno what sort of light they were in when I got them. I had them in a 5 gallon tank with 30 watts of PC of it, now they're in a 10 with 65 watts. I didn't realise how dark they'd become until I was erasing old pics I didn't need and found that one

Mr_Jarhead · #7 11/01/2007, 09:06 PM

also when shaded they will get lighter in color, but will get darker when placed under higher lighting

kiknchikn · #8 11/02/2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr_Jarhead
also when shaded they will get lighter in color, but will get darker when placed under higher lighting

My experience has been the opposite. The higher up they are they lighter they get (except for the orange ones). I'd imagine by having them lower they increase their number of xooxanthellae to an extent, which might make them a little darker. I'm not an expert though.

Mr_Jarhead · #9 11/02/2007, 12:23 PM

it can go either way depending on the specific lighting they came from and how intense the lighting is they are placed under. In my underwater adventures in the carib, I noticed that the closer to the surface the more colorful.