What does a healthy ric look like?

[Fanof49ASU]

I can't seem to determine if my rics are doing well, or if they need a different position in the tank.

I've had a Orange ric for several months, and I'm assuming that it's doing well.

http://markfoltz.freeservers.com/OrangeRic.jpg

Here's my newest addition....a lime green ric. I've been told they're bleached, and I've heard otherwise. All I know is that I've had them for about 1 1/2 months, and the color is the same.
The first pic is when I first got them.
http://markfoltz.freeservers.com/NewRic1.jpg

This is today.
http://markfoltz.freeservers.com/NewRics.jpg

I've fragged off a couple from this rock, and as far as I can tell, I haven't lost any of them. I also have a rock with about 20 or so in another tank. They look just like the last photo.

What should I be looking for in determining if the ric is healthy?
Any comments welcome.

[chrisstie]

The second picture shows a lot of improvement to me actually. Healthy rics have zooxanthelle taking up most of their topside so you will see a solid color and typically a lack of opaqueness.. and ti takes time for them to have that symbiotic algae grow and build inside of them.

Here's a page with some different colored healthy looking ones on to compare

http://www.scorpleo.net/ScorpLeoReef4.html

[Fanof49ASU]

Thanks Christie!
One question.....what is zooxanthelle? The coloring inside them? If so, will this make them more opaque as opposed to how transparent they seem now?

[lessans]

Zooxanthellae, as they are correctly spelled in the plural form, are the symbiotic algae inside SPS and LPS corals and the soft tissue of all soft corals, mushrooms.

[chrisstie]

My bad.. I have a head cold and even if I didn't I'm not sure if I could spell it right all of the time :) but lessans is right

You know how light reflects off of things and the wavelengths that are absorbed or reflected determine what color we see objects as? Pretty much they combine with a coral's tissue to do the same thing

[lessans]

Chrisstie, I think your avatar is cool. It's like the clown fish is sleeping on the seaweed clip. My dwarf hawkfish can often be seen perching on my seaweed clip.

[lessans]

Fanof49ASU, I forgot to mention that the zooxanthellae provide translocated carbon compounds for the coral's consumption. This is how corals obtain most of their energy.