Acan always feeding response

rishma · Dec 1, 2018

I bought my first acan and it was beautiful. It is healthy and has grown. The problem is it has spent 6 months open in a feeding response. The color is faded. I feed it regularly with several foods including reefroids. I have tried laying off feedings as well. Nothing has changed.

Water quality’s good.

Thoughts?

Cthulukelele · Dec 1, 2018

What are your parameters? Acans are hungry little buggers, and even healthy ones most of the time have their feeders out 24/7. I have read that that's actually how you want them to be.

John3 · Dec 1, 2018

Some types stay open and some only in the dark. I have noticed that acans with a “rougher” texture seem to have feeders open much more than acans with a smoother texture.

Ling_Thing · Dec 1, 2018

How much par is it getting? They like mid to low light and lower flow. I only feed mine mysis and the colors are crazy.

rishma · Dec 1, 2018

I don’t have a par meter, but it’s the front corner of the tank so it will be on the lower side.
Alk 9, Cal 420, mag 1380, phos .05, (nitrate low, not sure)

It gets medium flow

It’s was smooth and colorful when I got it.

Should I try more light? I have LPs all over the tank.

DSC reef · Dec 1, 2018

What type of lighting do you have? Spectrum and intensity can change color on acans. Seeing they are always hungry is not a bad thing, I always liked feeding LPS coral reef nutrition and LRS.

rishma · Dec 1, 2018

Hydra 26HD AB+ spectrum. When is open for feeding you really cannot see the colors and most pictures I see don’t look that way.

DSC reef · Dec 1, 2018

An acan will look different open and feeding rather than closed up. Can you post a pic.

rishma · Dec 2, 2018

It used to have great purples, reds and greens. Now just oranges and always feeding.

DSC reef · Dec 2, 2018

That coral looks really healthy. Micromussa is notorious for changing colors.

KrisReef · Dec 2, 2018

Try feeding it large chunky food. Maybe when it closes around the larger chunks the colors you are missing will be more visible?

It is stunning, imo.

Travis Stewart · Dec 2, 2018

Every day all day. Never a bad thing and don’t Feed them or coral

Kainic · Dec 6, 2018

Mine is also always showing feeding tentacles, no matter what. It is ok if it is healthy, but it would be great to see its real colors being puffy. I'll try to feed it every other day to see if I can fullfill its needs.