Acan Care?

Hiker4twenty

Reef enthusiast
Over the weekend I picked up a few new corals. I got 3 ricordea's and 1 acan frag. The acan frag has 7 heads. My question is how I should be feeding it. I don't trust the LFS any more. They told me that I don't need to target feed it, but I can if I want. Mysis shrimp? Right now I have it placed on the sandbed in a moderate flow area. It's doing good so far. Pics will come soon.
 
You've got it placed just about right.
Acans will take mysis and rotifers,even cyclops.Just use a turkey baster and gently blow the food into the polyps.
 
you dont need to feed it at all but you can feed it. but do not feedd it to much because the coral can grow too fast and not be able to build the skelition as fast as it can make new poylps
 
+1 James

You should feed acans once or twice a week MAX. You don't HAVE to feed them at all, but if you WANT to feed them - limit feedings to once a week.

The problem with over feeding any LPS coral is all that rich protein builds lots of polyps, but it doesn't build the boney skeleton underneath as quickly as it builds polyps. If you overfeed for a long time, they will develop too many polyps and not enough bone underneath - then they can get sick and die. They build the bone skeleton from the calcium in the water - and that takes a long time. Much longer than it takes to turn protein into polyps.

Most LPS corals will extend feeding tentacles at night. IMO this is the best time to feed them. Melt a cube of mysis or other meaty food. Suck it up in a turkey baster with some tank water and drizzle 3 or 4 pieces of meat on each polyp. I start on the top and work around the coral in a circular pattern. As the top and larger side polyps get fed and retract to eat - that will expose the smaller polyps on the lower sides and bottom of the coral. This makes it easy to insure each polyp gets a little food.

If they start getting too big or taking over - cut back feeding by 50%. That will control growth - but still give them enough food to maintain rich color and full polyps.
 
It looks like this one, but not w/ the pink near the mouth.

PinkringAcan.jpg
 
Yeah I figured you were going to SF, that's where I go. If you don't trust their advice, just make sure you talk to Todd, Veronica, or Steve whenever you're looking for advice.
 
Yeah I figured you were going to SF, that's where I go. If you don't trust their advice, just make sure you talk to Todd, Veronica, or Steve whenever you're looking for advice.

When I was buying the Acan I was dealing with some younger kid and he didn't know anything. I just didn't trust him one bit when he answered every question with the ending..."I think?" I do like the store. They've got tons of stuff. Might be making another trip there this weekend. I need to get some supplies to complete my fuge.
 
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