How to keep rainbow acans rainbow

[crazyfishmom]

They don’t go back. It’s a damage that doesn’t heal

I wonder if this has been stress tested enough. By that I mean that I think acans start to accumulate more zooanthellae in their tissues as a response to too much light or maybe their tissue thickens due to stress like scar tissue buildup. We know that in acros browning due to low lighting can take a very long time to reverse. I am wondering if the same can be done for acans. I would imagine that due to the tissue density and deep coloration in acans that this might take a ridiculous amount of time. I have this one fluffy colony that was red at my LFS and when I first got it I to my tank. It was meh coloration wise but I wanted to try my hand at acans so I bought it and it was definitely reddish/orangish/brownish at first. I put it in a low light tank at around 50-70 PAR and now it was pink, orange, bright red and starting to show some yellow. Not sure if it was just stressed when it came to me. That is also possible. It took 9 months to transition to these colors. I would love to see if others would be willing to try with their pieces that have turned from rainbow to red and let them rest in low light for 1-2 years and see whether that does anything. I agree that the trend seems to be that once they turn red they don’t go back but I am super curious. Scar tissue formation and the remodeling that happens in tissue post scarification is a topic of interest for me and tissue density plays a huge role in how quickly said tissue heals. Just random musings this morning I guess.

 

[VintageReefer]

I wonder if this has been stress tested enough. By that I mean that I think acans start to accumulate more zooanthellae in their tissues as a response to too much light or maybe their tissue thickens due to stress like scar tissue buildup. We know that in acros browning due to low lighting can take a very long time to reverse. I am wondering if the same can be done for acans. I would imagine that due to the tissue density and deep coloration in acans that this might take a ridiculous amount of time. I have this one fluffy colony that was red at my LFS and when I first got it I to my tank. It was meh coloration wise but I wanted to try my hand at acans so I bought it and it was definitely reddish/orangish/brownish at first. I put it in a low light tank at around 50-70 PAR and now it was pink, orange, bright red and starting to show some yellow. Not sure if it was just stressed when it came to me. That is also possible. It took 9 months to transition to these colors. I would love to see if others would be willing to try with their pieces that have turned from rainbow to red and let them rest in low light for 1-2 years and see whether that does anything. I agree that the trend seems to be that once they turn red they don’t go back but I am super curious. Scar tissue formation and the remodeling that happens in tissue post scarification is a topic of interest for me and tissue density plays a huge role in how quickly said tissue heals. Just random musings this morning I guess.

I agree with you in theory, and in rare situations I have heard of color coming back, but I don’t know if that color was lost from just stress, or from overlighting

It seems to be two different things with the same result. Stress from shipping does usually dull color and they can recover over a few days to weeks

The threads I’ve read, and my own experience, of them changing color from too much light…usually you never hear of these gaining the color back. And it’s always the same story. Sold as rainbow acans. Perfectly healthy. And morph red or dark orange after a few months. Then the op moves to lower light as suggested. And it doesn’t help.

I had several rainbow acans, over $100 per polyp a few years ago. They all morphed orange on me. I had them in 100 par on an ai prime. I did try lowering them and after months saw no improvement. Sadly the nano tank crashed and I lost them and my experiment was forced to stop. I did not see any improvement though

Could it come back if someone placed in <50 par for a year or more. I would think it’s possible.

But these stories never ends well when I read them. The color rapidly is lost. And then there is no restoration despite moving it

I saw a reefbuilders interview with someone who was an acan collector and vendor, and when his morph, he said he doesn’t even put any effort into fixing them anymore. Just sells them dirt cheap to make room for new ones to try again.

 

[MERKEY]

Bought as rainbow

Then I turned it red/orange lol

Now she's wanting to go rainbow again....probably had her 3 years now.

Honestly I ignore it.

I have not changed feeding or lights or flow or anything.

Maybe it will get more rainbow or maybe not lol

 

[VintageReefer]

Bought as rainbow

Then I turned it red/orange lol

Now she's wanting to go rainbow again....probably had her 3 years now.

Honestly I ignore it.

I have not changed feeding or lights or flow or anything.

Maybe it will get more rainbow or maybe not lol

Still a very nice piece. Exciting to see the colors start to come back after so long. So I guess we can conclude that it is possibly for the color to come back but it can take several years to start

The “Asian acans” are more light tolerant and in my experience they retain their colors and patterns better. Bigger polyp also. More like mini scolys

 

[MERKEY]

Quite possibly....I think each piece is different as you've said.

Depends on what it's gone through I would suppose.

 

[ReeferB28]

They don’t go back. It’s a damage that doesn’t heal

Just out of curiosity, and I'm not trying to be rude. Based on what evidence, in your experience?

In the past, I've had a similar experience, but I've always had the rainbow colors come back. Upon obtaining them, I place them under a modified 20k spectrum, roughly peaking at 100 par. For those that have turned orange, I've noticed newly formed polyps display the original rainbow patterns,etc.

I've noticed feeding the ones that have retained the rainbow and intensity, including the individuals that have shifted to mostly orange, greatly benefits these corals. It helps retain color, and help the ones that have primarily lost it, regain it. As @Randy Holmes-Farley has stated previously, corals obtain trace elements from feeding as well as dosing trace elements.

Although it's a multifaceted approach, they can regain their colors. Par, spectrum, the amount of UV radiation they receive, quality food, adequate levels of nitrate but mostly phosphate, and the maintenance of major and minor Trace elements, all play a role.

Out of curiosity, for the people who have lost coloration in their rainbow "micromussa", what are they doing to regain, and/or maintain? I'm genuinely curious. I love this Forum because we can all come together and share our experiences, in order to maintain these animals that we all cherish. I genuinely am curious what people are doing so we can all help each other.

 

[VintageReefer]

Just out of curiosity, and I'm not trying to be rude. Based on what evidence, in your experience?

In the past, I've had a similar experience, but I've always had the rainbow colors come back. Upon obtaining them, I place them under a modified 20k spectrum, roughly peaking at 100 par. For those that have turned orange, I've noticed newly formed polyps display the original rainbow patterns,etc.

I've noticed feeding the ones that have retained the rainbow and intensity, including the individuals that have shifted to mostly orange, greatly benefits these corals. It helps retain color, and help the ones that have primarily lost it, regain it. As @Randy Holmes-Farley has stated previously, corals obtain trace elements from feeding as well as dosing trace elements.

Although it's a multifaceted approach, they can regain their colors. Par, spectrum, the amount of UV radiation they receive, quality food, adequate levels of nitrate but mostly phosphate, and the maintenance of major and minor Trace elements, all play a role.

Out of curiosity, for the people who have lost coloration in their rainbow "micromussa", what are they doing to regain, and/or maintain? I'm genuinely curious. I love this Forum because we can all come together and share our experiences, in order to maintain these animals that we all cherish. I genuinely am curious what people are doing so we can all help each other.

My own personal experience and dozens and dozens of threads I’ve read once the heads.

My word is not be all end all.
I could be wrong. I would love to learn of ways people reversed the process. I did try searching forums before posting just to see if I could find success stories, but fell short. The above post by merkey was the first I’ve seen pictures of a recovery.

I think there is still a lot to learn, and I do think for the average reefer once they shift it is very very difficult or time consuming to reverse the process

 

[crazyfishmom]

My own personal experience and dozens and dozens of threads I’ve read once the heads.

My word is not be all end all.
I could be wrong. I would love to learn of ways people reversed the process. I did try searching forums before posting just to see if I could find success stories, but fell short. The above post by merkey was the first I’ve seen pictures of a recovery.

I think there is still a lot to learn, and I do think for the average reefer once they shift it is very very difficult or time consuming to reverse the process

I wish I would have taken pictures of my before (all orange and no other colors); I’ll try to grab a good picture once the lights are on later today. Just interesting to think about. I agree that I hear lots of people complain about the rainbow colors going away and never follow up to know whether they came back. Mine is morphing slowly to being more colorful and has many tonalities now.

 

[ReeferB28]

In order to maintain rainbow coloration, I tend to keep my N03 at 10ppm, P04 at .4-1ppm based on how many corals I have in my systems. As previously mentioned above, I run a modified 20k program on my gen 6 XR-15 pros, and have them in roughly 100par. I feed mixture of the fauna marin lps & coral dust, and use B-ionic 2pt as my main dosing regimen, although I used to use the ATI essentials pro 2-pt.

 

[VintageReefer]

In order to maintain rainbow coloration, I tend to keep my N03 at 10ppm, P04 at .4-1ppm based on how many corals I have in my systems. As previously mentioned above, I run a modified 20k program on my gen 6 XR-15 pros, and have them in roughly 100par. I feed mixture of the fauna marin lps & coral dust, and use B-ionic 2pt as my main dosing regimen, although I used to use the ATI essentials pro 2-pt.

A lot has to do with how the coral was obtained. Wild imports have the highest rate of morphing.

If you’re was tank raised by the vendor before you the chances of retaining are much higher.

There are lots of people keeping rainbow acans. They don’t all morph orange. It just does happen a lot and I think the corals source, and care, before we get it, has a big impact on its future

 

[crazyfishmom]

Just out of curiosity, and I'm not trying to be rude. Based on what evidence, in your experience?

In the past, I've had a similar experience, but I've always had the rainbow colors come back. Upon obtaining them, I place them under a modified 20k spectrum, roughly peaking at 100 par. For those that have turned orange, I've noticed newly formed polyps display the original rainbow patterns,etc.

I've noticed feeding the ones that have retained the rainbow and intensity, including the individuals that have shifted to mostly orange, greatly benefits these corals. It helps retain color, and help the ones that have primarily lost it, regain it. As @Randy Holmes-Farley has stated previously, corals obtain trace elements from feeding as well as dosing trace elements.

Although it's a multifaceted approach, they can regain their colors. Par, spectrum, the amount of UV radiation they receive, quality food, adequate levels of nitrate but mostly phosphate, and the maintenance of major and minor Trace elements, all play a role.

Out of curiosity, for the people who have lost coloration in their rainbow "micromussa", what are they doing to regain, and/or maintain? I'm genuinely curious. I love this Forum because we can all come together and share our experiences, in order to maintain these animals that we all cherish. I genuinely am curious what people are doing so we can all help each other.

I have an acan/blastomussa (with a couple of zoas and chalices mixed in) only tank and the entire tank is at 75 PAR or so on the sand bed. I’ve noticed that the acans in this tank are much brighter than the ones in one of my higher light systems despite nutrients being the same in both (0.15-.25 phosphate and 10-15 nitrate). I don’t have any fish in the acan/blasto system so I dose NeoNitro and Restor once a week and feed oyster feast to maintain phosphate levels.

 

[VintageReefer]

I had these blastos in April with full color / pattern. Approx 75-100 par tops. Sand bed

I made a foolish move and relocated higher. I wanted them out of the sand and somewhere safer. New spot was 150 par approx. they completely morphed on me and went solid dark red/brown. I put back in the original spot early may, and they have been there since. 70ish par currently. It’s been 4 months. This is what they look like today

 

[crazyfishmom]

I had these blastos in April with full color / pattern. Approx 75-100 par tops. Sand bed

I made a foolish move and relocated higher. I wanted them out of the sand and somewhere safer. New spot was 150 par approx. they completely morphed on me and went solid dark red/brown. I put back in the original spot early may, and they have been there since. 70ish par currently. It’s been 4 months. This is what they look like today

Oh no! I would be so mad!!!!! Crossing fingers they return to their former glory but it’ll likely take a long time. It took 9 months for my acan to start showing his former colors.

 

[VintageReefer]

Oh no! I would be so mad!!!!! Crossing fingers they return to their former glory but it’ll likely take a long time. It took 9 months for my acan to start showing his former colors.

I’m a little mad lol trying to stay hopeful. They look healthy to me but have a dullness to them and the original color and pattern are basically gone. Classic over lighting morph syndrome.

They are healthy, open every day,
I feed them, I dose my tank with two different brands of aminos. Just drab looking. I can’t really get them any lower par than this except my sump, which is cryptic with no light. Maybe a 3-5 day period of darkness would trigger something to restore the color? I’d go longer but fear completely losing them.
Maybe weekdays sump. Weekends 70 par on the sand bed. Who knows.

I have nothing really to lose with this blasto and let’s just say I’ve accepted what’s happened and wouldn’t be heartbroken if I lost it…in the name of experiments to better advance the reef community!

 

[VintageReefer]

Will add in this, my Asian acans are in 150+ par for several weeks months and have not morphed at all

 

[crazyfishmom]

Will add in this, my Asian acans are in 150+ par for several weeks months and have not morphed at all

Mine are at around 100 and doing awesome too. Growing faster than I expected. I have maybe 8 baby heads on one of them that came in as a single head and the others are also starting to sprout new heads.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I’m a little mad lol trying to stay hopeful. They look healthy to me but have a dullness to them and the original color and pattern are basically gone. Classic over lighting morph syndrome.

They are healthy, open every day,
I feed them, I dose my tank with two different brands of aminos. Just drab looking. I can’t really get them any lower par than this except my sump, which is cryptic with no light. Maybe a 3-5 day period of darkness would trigger something to restore the color? I’d go longer but fear completely losing them.
Maybe weekdays sump. Weekends 70 par on the sand bed. Who knows.

I have nothing really to lose with this blasto and let’s just say I’ve accepted what’s happened and wouldn’t be heartbroken if I lost it…in the name of experiments to better advance the reef community!

This is nowhere near what I’m able to see versus what I can capture but here are a couple of pictures of that acan that I was telling you was completely orange when I got it.

The pink is much more vibrant than I can capture even with my little orange filter and there’s green/yellow where the pink meets the orange that I can’t get on the photos at all.

 

[danreef55]

I have also had better luck with Asian acans

These are on my sandbed, with a frag shelf above creating a little shade

Super polyp extension. But am I surprised NOPE. Reef on @vr

 

[VintageReefer]

Super polyp extension. But am I surprised NOPE. Reef on @vr

Thank you!

 

[CrashTestBennie]

Mine are at around 100 and doing awesome too. Growing faster than I expected. I have maybe 8 baby heads on one of them that came in as a single head and the others are also starting to sprout new heads.

So, there's a tiny pinpoint of what looks like a baby acan head growing at the edge of my existing acan. Do they start out that small?