Ricordea help

[Neilan]

So on 1/22 I picked up this ric yuma. You can see it was a frag and it's been healing up.

 

This is what it looked like when I got it on 1/22

 

However, the past 72 hours or so, it's getting smaller (for lack of a better term). It's been inflated less and less, and now today, it looks like this

 

I've been told to put it higher in the tank - more light and flow - and I've been told to shade it. What do I do?

 

I'm worried because I'm going out of town at 4am and will be gone for a week and can't monitor it.

 

Help?

[zygote2k]

I'd let it get used to the tank conditions for a while. If you don't notice anything for a few weeks, move it somewhere else.

[Neilan]

I moved him up higher on the rocks - more lights and flow, based on the first recommendation I ws given. That was yesterday, no change in it today.

 

Since I'm leaving tonight for a week, should I put it back where it was on the sandbed?

[jason the filter freak]

well, I have a pretty good amount of EXP with rics and its bleaching most likely from stress which unfortunately is going to take a long time to restore to its color, I would not put it in a high flow area they don't need it, flow yes but gentle. In the stressed state its in now high flow can cause it to detach itself (might end up behind the rock work never to be seen again). As for light it depends on what kind of lights you're using. If its PC I'd move it to 8-10 inches down from the light source. If its T5's with a strong ballast, and good reflectors, or a MH with a good reflector and ballast I wouldn't get it too close to the light (don't shade it, but you can put it in an area that is farther from the center of the light source) blasting it with light at this point may exasterbate(sp?) the situation. Best of luck i love yumas, hope it pulls though for you. Make sure you leave your tank with someone who knows what they're doing a sudden swing in tank conditions could turn out rather badly for your ric. You may also want to try occasionally target feeding with some sort of plankton (phytoplex, coraplex, blah blah, etc.)