Acans don't get plump why?

markak · Oct 12, 2015

I have several acans and they don't get plumped up or puffed up like some other tanks I see. My brother has acans in his tank and his are all puffed out big. The only thing different in my tank and his is I have LEDs and he has T5s. I have just added T5s with my LEDs. Its only been a couple weeks and I really don't see any change in them. I thought well maybe they like to be on the sand bed so I moved them from the rocks to the sand. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Wiz · Oct 12, 2015

Mine don't plump up either. And they never grow. Still the same as I got them. Following

markak · Oct 12, 2015

No growth on mine either. I've done research on them, got nothing to make them happy. Has to be an answer. I don't spot feed them, maybe that's the answer.

Jimbo662 · Oct 12, 2015

I had the same issues and saw a post on one of the forums talking about them needing dirtier water. I had been doing weekly 10% water changes on a 50g cube. After about two weeks of stopping the weekly changes mine started plumping up. I changed to monthly changes and all seem happy.

Wiz · Oct 12, 2015

I spot feed mine. Still no. I don't do water changes. But my nitrate and phos are undetectable. So that could be it. Hmm

Jimbo662 · Oct 12, 2015

Could also be too much light.

Wiz · Oct 12, 2015

Jimbo662 said:
Could also be too much light.

Are they low light? Mine are on the sand but I have been ramping up my lights slowly

Jimbo662 · Oct 12, 2015

I think they're more medium / moderate lighting.

Wiz · Oct 12, 2015

Then it should not be too much. Oh well maybe something else.

Jimbo662 · Oct 12, 2015

maybe try different areas of the tank.

Reef_a_holiks · Oct 12, 2015

My acans are super plump and grow like crazy, I frag them up often. I feed into the water column twice a week and target feed once a week . Most say acans like low light, though mine like moderate to high light. If i put them in low light they just dont open up. What are you guys feeding the acans ?

knukles55 · Oct 12, 2015

You might be giving them to much flow. +1 on dirty water once I started neglecting my tank I had new heads popping out on all my acans lol

Wolff92 · Oct 12, 2015

could be alk swings. My LPS will get upset and be tight on their skeleton if my alk swings too much.

Tab28 · Oct 12, 2015

My thought is too much light. When I upped my par with better reflectors my acans got smaller.

LetItReef · Oct 12, 2015

Check flow too- Medium indirect flow.

AdamNC · Oct 14, 2015

Lights too high, alk swing, nitrate too high or something nearby might be irritating it.

veselym · Oct 14, 2015

My acan loves to be on the sand bed directly under the cross brace so it gets shaded a bit...I tried moving it out to higher lighting and it shriveled

I have left it alone for 3 weeks and now 2 more heads, they do like nutrients in the water but most corals do

Tanked_Life · Oct 14, 2015

+1 on the sand beds, keep them there and spot feed them lips pellets. Its ok if you don't feed every head because the whole specimen benefits but that is how you will get them fluffy, colorful, and show worthy

markak · Oct 14, 2015

I saturate the tank with phyto and goni feast once a week. Keep skimmer off for a least 6hrs. All acans are on the sandbed under rock scape somewhat, so a little shade. Maybe in time they will come around. Acans are my favorite, but maybe I just can't keep them in my tank.