Acan Coral Summary
| Family | Lobophylliidae |
| Care level | Moderate |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
| Lighting | Moderate |
| Color | Depends on color morph; Grey, Brown, Gre ... |
- Raw shrimp in small pieces.
- Frozen mysis and general meaty fish foods.
- Marine Pellets.
- LPS Coral + pellets.
- Reef Roids.
What do ACAN corals eat?
When ready to feed, the acan coral will extend its polyps to capture prey: copepods, Artemia, chopped seafood, or even commercial foods (frozen, flake, or pellet). As long as the tentacles can catch something delicious and pull it in, they’ll happily slurp it down.
How do you feed ACAN coral polyps?
Target feeding Acan coral will ensure that they get the food and nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. To target feed use a coral feeder such as the PeSandy Coral Feeder to squirt food directly onto the polyps. This enables you to ensure that the coral is getting the food.
Can you cut into an ACAN coral?
If you cut directly into an acan coral, you risk killing it and slowing down its recovery time. While feeding an Acan coral is optional, it is recommended that you offer a variety of food options. Foods for acans are available in commercial powders, frozen krill, brine shrimp, Mysis shrimp, and coral pellets.
What are the essential supplements for ACAN coral?
Calcium, magnesium, and strontium are elements which are essential supplements for Acan coral. Acan coral, like all tropical corals, are invertebrates which have a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellate algae called zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae are primarily single celled dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae.
How do ACAN corals eat?
Feeding. Acan coral is considered photosynthetic, meaning they derive at least part of their calories from the commensal zooxanthellae that live in their tissue. They also pull some nutrients from the water column. This will help keep nutrient levels in check if you have fish in your tank.
Where do you put ACAN coral in tank?
Placement is important for lighting purposes, water flow and the aggressiveness of Acan coral. Give at least 4-6 inches of space between Acans and other coral as they can and will fight for a dominant position. Don't forget to acclimate your coral appropriately.
Do Acans like high light?
My acans keep their rainbow colors well but not all of them. Some acans prefer higher light and actually lose some of their amazing colors under lower light.
What PAR do ACAN corals need?
A Quick Overview On The Acan CoralScientific NameAcanthastrea spp.LightingLow-Moderate (50-150 PAR)Tank PlacementBottom, MiddleFlow RateLow-ModerateTemperature Range76-82 degrees F12 more rows•Mar 12, 2022
Do I need to feed Acans?
Feeding Acans Acans contain zooxanthellae, this allows the acans to gain some nutrition and growth through photosynthesis from the lights in your tank but you will see much better growth of your coral if you give regular feeding.
How much flow do Acans like?
Acan Coral prefer a low to medium flow. This allows food to flow to the coral as well as remove mucus and bad nutrients from the coral. Too much flow can cause the large, fleshy polyps of the Acan Coral to either stay retracted, be ripped off the skeleton.
Can ACAN corals touch?
They can be close but I would not let them touch. Acans have very short but very destructive sweeper tentacles, so give them a little room.
How fast do ACAN corals grow?
Acans grow by producing new heads and they will eventually form a dome shape when fully grown. In some cases, they are known to grow rapidly that they sprout a new head every 7-14 days once feeding needs are met and optimal water parameters are maintained.
Can Acans touch each other?
They can touch each other and don't have feeler tentacles to attack others.
Will Acans grow on sand bed?
I have a large acan colony, 40+ heads on the sand the does very well. Although it's almost too big to put anywhere else, so that one is staying put.
Do ACAN corals split?
acans don't "split" persay....but a new coralite will form as an offshoot of an adjacent one ...they don't split a coralite in 1/2 from my experience.
Can Acans touch Micromussa?
Basically anything that doesn't sting. Acans don't sting do anything that can hurt them will mess them up. Mine grow next to zoa and leptastrea no problem.
What is an acan coral?
Acanthastrea echinata commonly referred to as the Acan Corals or simply Acans, are Large Polyp Stony Corals, very popular among saltwater aquarium enthusiasts. And it’s easy to see why they are so popular. Acan Corals are one of the easiest LPS corals to take care of, and with a wide range of colors, surely deserve a spot in ...
Where to place acans in a coral tank?
You can place your acans on rocks, the bottom on the tank, or on the sand band. If you want to have success with this particular corals, placing them on the bottom of the tank is the best practice. Acans don’t like too much light, so placing them higher will make them lose coloration, or even worse they will bleach.
Why is my Acan dying?
If everything is alright, then you can search for different causes. Another reason that can make your Acan slowly die is having too much light.
What color are Acan corals?
Acan Coral Types. Acan Corals come in different varieties and different colors. You can choose from orange, purple, or even pink color. The Australian Lord Acan is one of the most popular types. Usually, the Acans from that region have vibrant red and orange colors, which make them a nice addition to every reef tank.
Where do acan corals live?
In the wild, they inhabit areas of water in depth between 0 and 50 meters. Acan Corals are primarily found in the Indo Pacific Ocean, mostly in lagoons, where they form colonies up to several meters across. They are nocturnal animals which means that they are more active at night.
Why are acans aggressive?
Mainly because that’s their way to expand and make more room to grow. That’s why the first thing you should do is to find a good spot for placement.
Do acan corals live at night?
They are nocturnal animals which means that they are more active at night. You’ll assume that can be a problem in home aquariums, however, most of the acan corals kept by hobbyists are well adapted and acclimated, so feeding them through the day should not be a problem.
Origins And Habitat
Acan corals originate from the tropical waters around Fiji, Australia, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands. They form large colonies often found on the seabed or near the bottom of the rockwork of shallow reefs (30-50m).
What Do Acan Corals Look Like?
An Acan coral is easy to identify, though their flattened, suction-cup appearance can sometimes resemble Blastomussa spp., species of brain coral (Mussidae and Merulinidae families), or even chalice corals ( Echinophyllia spp. ). Their fleshy polyps as a lot of interest contrast other corals in the display tank.
Placement And Temperament In The Aquarium
These corals are not demanding and can thrive in places of the saltwater aquarium where other species might lack light. However, their colors, size, and growth rate largely depend on the type of light they’re being kept under as well as how often they’re being fed.
Acan Coral Care And Maintenance (Keeping Acan Corals)
An Acan coral does best in stable conditions with good water quality, unmoved and unbothered. Because these corals are naturally slow-growers, it’s extremely important to keep conditions favorable to prevent delaying the growing process any further.
What Are Good Tankmates For Acan Corals?
These corals can be kept with most species of fish and invertebrates. With any reef aquarium system, you want to avoid species that are not reef-safe, like puffers, angels, and triggers. Keep in mind that most crabs are also not reef-safe.
Fragging Acan Corals
Not only do acan corals grow slower than most other LPS coral species, but they can also be more difficult to frag. This is because the skeleton of the colony is connected throughout and can only be separated by an electric saw or a very careful bone cutter.
Why Is Your Acan Coral Dying?
There are a few reasons why your acan coral might be dying. Some of the most common explanations are nutrients, light, other corals, or fish/invertebrates.
How to care for Acan corals?
General tank maintenance is important. Keep the aquarium clean by wiping away algae and performing partial water changes.
What is an acan coral?
Corals are often sought after for marine aquariums because they are usually colorful and beautiful animals. Acan Corals meet this description very well. They are colonial corals that form clumps that can reach over 2 yards across. Conveniently you can care for much smaller fragments in your home aquarium.
Why can't I keep acan corals in my aquarium?
By spacing them out you can nullify any semi-aggressive tendencies and compatibility problems in the marine residents as the fish come to nibble corals.
Why do you need a marine aquarium?
One of the main benefits of starting a marine aquarium is the ability to keep corals. Depending on the fish you want to keep, you could create a whole reef full of different colors and structures. You should consider Acan Corals when designing your tank. They are very attractive; you can find them in lots of different colors to meet your personal ...
How to keep corals in aquarium clean?
Keep the aquarium clean by wiping away algae and performing partial water changes. Regularly check that the environment is in perfect conditions by using a water testing kit each week and inspecting equipment. If conditions in the tank are not ideal, your coral will often let you know through changes in color.
Why do you frag coral?
You may have to frag the coral to save some healthy parts and dispose of infected parts. Trying to prevent disease in the first place is the best thing to do. Pay extra attention to your aquarium and maintain the ideal conditions. Be careful about what you place in the tank too, quarantine new additions.
Where do acan corals live?
Habitat and Tank Conditions. These corals live on shallow reefs (0-98 feet deep) distributed across the Red Sea, Eastern Coast of Africa, Japan, and Australia. Acan Corals are quite widespread, but they all live in similar conditions.
