Feeding Ricordea floridas?

[lancer99]

My bad, I bought a really nice rock covered with Ricordea floridas, with out doing prior research.

I've tried feeding them with Mysis, but the Mysis just stick onto their tentacles for a while, then they let go of them.

I've tried squirting Cyclop-Eeze onto them, but they just seem to shrink up when I do that...I don't see any evidence that they're actually eating the Cyclop-Eeze.

What is the best way to feed them?

-R

 

[curekar]

Most of the time you don't need to feed them, I think I only have one florida Ric that has shown any sign of eating. Rics have a bit of stickyness to them, just float a little cyclopeeze at them, if it sticks, great, but it will probably just float away. Sometimes they will fold up to funnel the food in - once they notice it. But otherwise, give them good light, they will be fine.

Craig

 

[lancer99]

Thx, I appreciate the advice.

-R

 

[Dustin1300]

My two floridas usually grab right on to brine or freeze dried krill....I don't think its as much necessary but more needed if your wanting more rapid growth/reproduction...

 

[robvdv]

I turned the flow off and dropped tiny pieces of fish and shrimp. They would pull the food to their mouths with mucus (looked like) and maybe fold over a little.

They showed variable responses to different food, so try a lot of different things.

 

[kiknchikn]

You probably tried to feed them too soon. If they're stressed from being added to the tank they often won't eat. I've had it take up to a week for a ric to decide it wants to eat again.

Just for perspective... nearly every single one of my 30+ polyps of Ricordea florida eat both cyclopeeze and mysis like it's their job, they just do it very, very slowly and sometimes require the pumps and lights to be turned off.

 

[Lotus99]

Mine love mysis. They'll move it towards their mouth, then eat it. Mine also seem to like Coral Frenzy.

 

[k.tran]

mine love mysis also they like strech their mouths twords the food then start moving it twords their mouth, they eat VERY fast, they love it, they also eat marine b pellets

 

[Crypsis]

I feed mine mysis, brine shrimp,chopped clam and crab. I didn't know they ate so for the first couple years i never fed them and they slowly multiplied. Now I feed every day to every other day and their growing much faster. Mine are voracious. They grab the food and funnel toward there mouth.

 

[o0xerog0o]

I just bought two ricordea's this weekend and they're doing great in my tank so far. They've been opening up real wide all day, and seem to be happy. I can't wait to get to the pet store in the next couple of days and get some shrimp to target feed to them. Hopefully they'll grow rapidly and spawn in a few months.

 

[maxheadroom]

here's a pic of mine eating some shrimp.

 

[jwhyne]

I've tried multiple times to get mine to eat, but they don't seem to want to and stay what appears to be shrunken. I am continuing to try though...

 

[Radioheadx14]

My cleaner shrimp steal any food before they have time to eat it

 

[o0xerog0o]

I tried to feed them yesterday. The bigger one decided to close up half way on the shrimp, but didn't fully eat it, and the second one didn't even act interested. Oh well, I'll still keep it up.

 

[reefmaister]

Can anyone direct me to a good ricordea prapagation page? thanks