How do acans grow more polyps?

[Sir Chris]

A bit of a revival...

Let’s cover all the issues. To help the acan grow faster to give it a nice countersunk plug.. is like to know if moving it to a larger plug so it doesn’t go down as much as up and outward.
Basically making a skelliton that it would like to bond to and not waste energy on a thick 1-2 inch base more acts like a sunset monti..

Picture of the 3 I’d like to “test” on as they all 3 have 8 baby heads each. One control(no spot feeding),1 countersunk, and 1 heavy feed counter. Others will act as controls for spot feed but not countersunk.

I guess I’ll post up results after 6-8-10 and 12 weeks. They have been 40 days in tank and adjusted as the growth shows on all 6 and oddly the right ones that get a gyre effect have larger new heads.
I hope people have the same question I have.

6:00pm Test
ALK(DKH)10.9
(PO4)0.02
(Cal)490 ..can’t raise..
(Mag)1580 ..feel it’s this..
75g(20L sump)
(June24th)cycle start
Any other parameters lmk if interested
If anyone has info please on subject lmk.
Thank you

 

[Sir Chris]

Just glue the plug on the rock. Acan will eventually grow over it. I have never fed an acan and all of mine have grown nicely. I have read if you over feed the soft tissue grows faster than the skeleton and could end up bad. No experience with this myself but a thought worth sharing.

I agree to this statement. Since I moved my corals The acans have become a “trumpet” shape vs holding the rounded colony shape. Is it similar to PE? As PE is not a really healthy 100% for SPS during the day but mine still do. It appears to be overgrowing the skeleton. As a colony I see the new heads as intakes for more energy storage.
Thanks

 

[Aaron Hobaugh]

So are you saying its best to leave acans grow on their own, or glue to a rock to have them grow over the rock? I currently have mine glued on the rock, but do like the look of when people place in the sandbed and have them grow a colonly. I think the question is which way they grow faster, or how do you personally like the look?

 

[Sir Chris]

Glue them to a plug about 3x there size. I use flats for my sand beds. You can use a tericota pot and smash to make flats or look up making them. Less time they focus on building a firm base the more likely upward and across will happen. I feed 2x a week enriched brine. If I haven’t seen them spit up there waste then I wait 2 more days to not disturb there digestion and purge out. I just hollowed out a old echanita skelly to recess one for growth and comparison and learning..

EDIT: pic for refrence. Once it’s overgrown that plug glue a even larger under it unless it can pop off.
It’s what I do.. works also

 

[CrashTestBennie]

Acans are what I consider one of the least maintenance type of corals. In-direct feeding from food or poop from fish and if you're not too lazy once in a while ... target feed it some small meaty chunks of silverside, shrimp, brine shrimps, krill etc. High nutrients type of tanks are ideal for this corals too.

Acan'll sprout tiny babies on the underside of the main polyps.

Paul

Mine loves mysis shrimp! It took them a couple weeks to "fluff" up after shipping. So, it's been in my freshly cycled tank for almost 3 weeks now. And, it looks like it's growing 4 baby heads at the same time. Is that possible?