Help me out! Acans and Wilsoni

Lowefx · Nov 21, 2016

Ok, so my green acan is all puffed up and is normal happy size. My red acans are somewhat flattened out. And my Wilsoni is also on the flat side. All have same lighting (2x 150w mh, 4x54w T5s)

and flow. Mg 1350 dkh 8 CA 430. I also run a zeovit system. I don't know what's going on here. I've been searching all over the web. Conch is in photo but does not aggravate them. Please help...

Elementalj · Nov 21, 2016

How long have they been in the tank? Have you been feeding them? Have you moved them to inspect for critters or pests? Got any iodine or Lugols for dipping?

Lowefx · Nov 21, 2016

Been in the tank 5 weeks (green acan 2 weeks). I dipped Bayer on red acans. I feed LPS grow pellets.

Elementalj · Nov 21, 2016

I'd move them to a shadier spot and in a lower flow area.

Lowefx · Nov 21, 2016

I guess I could move them under a rock shelf, but they are in a low flow area now and are at the bottom of a 120g 4x2x2 tank. I'm looking for an advanced answer please.

Elementalj · Nov 21, 2016

A more advanced answer could be something you haven't tested for. It could also be parasitical or bacterial in nature, or perhaps they might not like the food. These are general antidotes to common issues. From my experience with LPS the can have several sensitivities including the water being too low in nutrients i.e. Nitrate, and if something is irritating them.

Daniel@R2R · Nov 22, 2016

Good suggestions by @Elementalj's. I don't have anything to add to that. Perhaps some of the #LPSExperts might know something.

themcnertney · Nov 22, 2016

My acans do this from time to time. I think light is the issue. I'd move to a shadier spot.

john.m.cole3 · Nov 22, 2016

It sounds like they were not acclimated to your light. You can either decrease your light intensity ad bring it back up slowly over 3 weeks time OR put it in a shady area and slowly bring it out over time. you can target or broadcast feed as long as there are nutrients in the water. Zero N and P is not good for LPS.

Lowefx · Nov 22, 2016

Ok, thanks people. I will try under shelfs again. I can't go any lower in the tank. I do spot feed 2x week.
My frogs pawn is in the same depth and look at it...

DereksReef77 · Nov 22, 2016

Ime lps like frogspawn can handle more light than acans or wilsoni. I have a deepblue 30 with 2 frogspawn,1hammer,1torch that look good but the 6 or so acans not as good. Not puffed up like they should be.

Jay_M · Nov 22, 2016

Lowefx said:
I guess I could move them under a rock shelf, but they are in a low flow area now and are at the bottom of a 120g 4x2x2 tank. I'm looking for an advanced answer please.

All about crossing possibilities off the list.. this is an easy one to cross off. If flow or light is all it is, but you say it must be more than that, then you are now searching everywhere the answer is not.. I would agree to move them first then continue down the list of possibilities.

Just what I would do, doesn't make it correct

Elementalj · Nov 22, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
It sounds like they were not acclimated to your light. You can either decrease your light intensity ad bring it back up slowly over 3 weeks time OR put it in a shady area and slowly bring it out over time. you can target or broadcast feed as long as there are nutrients in the water. Zero N and P is not good for LPS.

My green acanthastrea did the same thing at first, so I moved him. Now he's super inflated most of the time, and eats like a champ. I've found that tissue loss is more prevalent when they're not fed and are burning in the light, as opposed to them expelling and bleaching.

Being perfectly honest, I've shied away from using bayer, not because of some fantasy scenario or such, but because I'd rather use it as a last resort. I use Lugols and the like on things like tissue loss or irritation without evidence of parasitical infestation. They respond better to treatments with iodine better than something like a pesticide. Turns out they're pretty sensitive to bacterial infections in an enclosed environment much more so than in the sea itself.

If you treat them like they're your skin, you'll be more successful. Not saying they need coco butter, but stay out of super bright light at first, and if they're injured in any fashion, treat the wound with an antiseptic.

Lowefx · Nov 22, 2016

Ok, I moved under a shelf so they are shadowed light. I'll update soon with picture to see if it's good enough.

On a side note, I also moved my jason fox party crasher cyphastrea into a shadowed area too. It looks very bleached, but when my night leds come on, it looks great. I hope that colors up soon too. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

ahiggins · Nov 23, 2016

I have a red acan that is midway in the tank.
The half that gets most of the light is puffy and the half that doesnt is sorta flat like in the pic.
I almost always air on the side of "too much light" but sometimes its not enough. Just my 2 cents

Surfandturf · Nov 23, 2016

So I think that acans can tolerate light and flow better than most people think. I have 3 different acans at the top of my tank in the direct path of a powerhead and they are thriving. Try moving them up to mid tank level on some rocks. Just my opinion.

Lowefx · Nov 23, 2016

If they don't get happy today, I will move up about 6". I feel like the have been getting low light all this time.... Just trial and error I guess.

ahiggins · Nov 23, 2016

Lowefx said:
If they don't get happy today, I will move up about 6". I feel like the have been getting low light all this time.... Just trial and error I guess.

Thats the worst part about reefing imo....corals/fish behave so differently in different systems.
We have all lost some coral or fish here and there, but we learn from the mistakes we make.