Ricordea Florida (Mushroom Coral)

​Looking for an explosion of neon colour and unique texture to brighten up the lower levels of your reef? Ricordea florida is a highly sought-after, premium mushroom coral that guarantees an instant visual impact.

​Unlike standard, flat mushroom corals, Ricordea florida are famous for their heavily textured, bubble-like surface and intense fluorescence. Originating from the Caribbean, these stunning corallimorphs come in mind-bending colour morphs—ranging from toxic neon greens and vibrant oranges to ultra-rare pinks, blues, and multi-coloured "rainbow" varieties. Under blue actinic lighting, they absolutely glow, creating a vibrant carpet of colour as they slowly multiply across your rockwork.

​At UKReef Hampshire, we love Ricordea florida because they deliver that high-end, collector-level aesthetic while being one of the hardiest and most forgiving corals in the entire hobby!

​Quick Care Guide:

​Care Level: Very Easy. Practically bulletproof, making them the perfect choice for beginners or those setting up a newer reef tank. They are highly tolerant of minor parameter swings.

​Temperament: Semi-Aggressive. While they don't have sweeping tentacles, they carry a mild sting and will aggressively defend their space if another coral grows directly into them. Leave a little room between them and your stony corals.

​Placement: Bottom. They do best attached to a piece of rubble on the sandbed or placed on the lower, shaded ledges of your main aquascape.

​Lighting: Low to Moderate. These mushrooms do not like being blasted with high-intensity light. If they start reaching upwards like an umbrella, they need more light; if they shrink and pale, they are getting too much.

​Water Flow: Low. They prefer a very gentle, lazy current. If the flow is too strong, they will detach from their rock and float around the tank, which can be highly stressful for the coral.

​Feeding: Not Required, but Appreciated. They are fully photosynthetic and get most of their nutrition from your lighting. However, they will happily absorb dissolved amino acids or catch small particles of micro-plankton if broadcast fed, which will speed up their splitting and reproduction.