Who Gives A Fish Forums

My Ricordea aren't opening up much lately. I've been feeding them Reef Roids twice a week, but they don't seem interested. Tank's a 40-gallon with AI Prime lighting, parameters are stable, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Any tips?

Ricordea can be picky with food. Try smaller particles like oyster eggs or even mysis shrimp. I've had success with both in my 75-gallon. How's your flow? Too much can stress them out.

yo, i just blast mine with a lil bit of phytofeast. they seem to dig it, but my tank's kinda messy. dunno if that's a pro tip or just luck.

starlet9 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 03, 2025 3:25 am yo, i just blast mine with a lil bit of phytofeast. they seem to dig it, but my tank's kinda messy. dunno if that's a pro tip or just luck.

Phytofeast can work, but it's easy to overdo. I'd start with half the recommended dose and see how they react. Also, check your phosphate levels if you're adding a lot of liquid food.

Mine love frozen brine shrimp. I thaw it in tank water and use a pipette to target feed. They usually open up within minutes. What's your lighting schedule like?

I've noticed Ricordea do better with occasional feeding rather than a strict schedule. Try skipping a week and see if they perk up. Sometimes less is more.

Mine were the same until I switched to a mix of mysis and reef roids. Now they're huge. Maybe your mix needs more variety?

bruh, just chuck in some fish poop. my ricordea love it when the tangs do their thing nearby. sounds gross but it works.

ocean4 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 03, 2025 8:07 am bruh, just chuck in some fish poop. my ricordea love it when the tangs do their thing nearby. sounds gross but it works.

That's... unconventional. I'd stick to cleaner options like frozen foods or pellets. Less risk of tank issues.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'll try mysis and adjust the flow. Appreciate the help!