florida slowly bleaching

[Joy_42]

I've had this ricordia in my tank for almost a year.
It started out like this in August 2007: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/joyeroberts/2008Aquarium/photo?authkey=hQXQkufm66Q#5204818767207692018"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/joyeroberts/SDs7F6uzdvI/AAAAAAAAAms/sGgJCfEg-TA/s144/ricordia%20before.jpg" /></a>
and looks like this right now: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/joyeroberts/2008Aquarium/photo?authkey=hQXQkufm66Q#5204818771502659330"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/joyeroberts/SDs7GKuzdwI/AAAAAAAAAm0/8xLz51w42Z8/s144/ricordia%20after.jpg" /></a>
My mushrooms and other ricordia florida (added at the same time) in the tank are doing well. Both ricordia are in about the middle of the tank (biocube 14) under the stock lighting. It seems like lighting would be causing this, but I don't know whether it's too much or not enough, or what else I should be looking for. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Skeptic_07]

i had one do that too. Besides the color change it also shrank from 2" across down to the size of a quarter. it regained its color over a period of a few months but it hasnt really grown much at all. i had it way up high under the lights like you have yours and my temperature was also swinging wildly from 77-84 everyday also the salinity was swinging alot from excessive evaporation and subsequent topoff everyday. this was all because it was close to summer, about this time of year actually, and the room it was in was not air conditioned, and the tank volume was only 10 gallons. the swings were bad enough to outright kill my xenia, which has now returned.

 

[Joy_42]

Oh, I hadn't thought of the temperature change doing it. My salinity is stable, but the temperature does go from 79 at night to 83 or 84 during the day. I guess it's a good time to upgrade the cooling fans in the hood...

Thanks for the help!

 

[Skeptic_07]

that might help. haveing the tank in an air conditioned room helps loads, especially small tanks.

oh and you're very welcome!