Description

The Yuma Mushroom Coral (Ricordea yuma) is a colorful and popular soft coral in the marine aquarium hobby, prized for its vibrant hues and ease of care. It’s ideal for both beginners and experienced reef keepers looking to add splashy color and interesting texture to their tank.

🌈 Description

• Scientific Name: Ricordea yuma

• Common Name: Yuma Mushroom Coral, Yuma Ricordea

• Type: Soft coral (Corallimorpharian)

• Origin: Indo-Pacific, especially around Indonesia and the Philippines

• Appearance:

  • Dome- or disk-shaped with a central mouth

  • Covered in short tentacle-like vesicles (giving a textured look)

  • Comes in vivid colors: green, orange, pink, purple, blue, red, or multicolored

• Size: Up to 3–4 inches in diameter

🪸 Care Level

• Difficulty: Moderate

• Growth Rate: Moderate to fast under optimal conditions

• Placement: Low to middle area of the tank, depending on lighting

💡 Tank Requirements

• Tank Size: Any size (suitable even for nano tanks)

• Lighting: Moderate to high (LED, T5, or metal halide)

  • Yuma mushrooms are photosynthetic, but too much light can bleach them

  • Acclimate slowly to strong lighting

• Water Flow: Low to moderate

  • Too much flow can cause them to close up or detach

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 75–80°F (24–27°C)

  • Salinity: 1.023–1.025 specific gravity

  • pH: 8.1–8.4

  • Alkalinity: 8–12 dKH

  • Nitrates: <10 ppm

  • Phosphates: <0.03 ppm

  • Calcium: 400–450 ppm

  • Magnesium: 1200–1350 ppm

🍽️ Feeding

• Nutrition: Mostly photosynthetic but benefits from supplemental feeding

• What to Feed:

  • Microplankton

  • Reef roids or coral foods

  • Finely chopped meaty foods (mysis shrimp, brine shrimp)

• Feeding Frequency: 1–2 times per week

🧠 Behavior and Placement Tips

• Aggression: Mildly aggressive

  • Can sting nearby corals, especially LPS or SPS, with sweeper tentacles

• Spacing: Give at least 2–3 inches of space from other corals

• Attachment: Will attach to rockwork; avoid placing on sand as they may detach

• Propagation: Can be fragged by cutting through the center with a scalpel (only if healthy and stable)

⚠️ Common Issues

✅ Summary of Care Tips