Irritated Acans

[Treefer32]

I think this is a part two for Acans for me. A few months ago I started feeding my three Acan frags twice a week. I've had them in the display now for close to two years. I intermittently fed them once every 2-3 months, otherwise I broadcast fed reef roids and over fed frozen food. The last few months I've taken to target feeding twice a week (or more often) with Reef Energy AB+, froozen food, pellets, and reef roids (all mixed up in tank water and fed as soon as it's all a slurry with a Turkey baster. )

Nitrates are 16-20 and phosphates .12 - .16 with the only algae in the display being Cyano (which you'll see here in the pics.) So, any Acan experts tell me why my Acans are not growing:


Placement: On a rock that's on the sand bed 1-2" from sand. 31" tall tank, with Hydra 52 LEDs and 4 Aquatic Life 80Watt T5 bulbs.

Flow: Two Gyre FX 350s at the surface of the tank, they create a gentle uptake of water rolling over the acans, not forceful (they don't blow) but a nice steady movement of water over pulled over them. I target feed and the a couple pieces of froozen food are caught by the acans. I've also caught my tangs pooping over the Acans. So, they should be well fed, in theory......

Yet, after 3-4 months of target feeding, the only change I've noticed is deeper colors. But that's it. . . . I just order a Triton Labs ICP test to see if there's anything off with my water, but, temp is usually 76 -78. Salinity 1.025, Alk between 9.4 and 10.4, Calcium 440-480 and MG 1440. I use IO salt.

If I'm completely way off here, or if these don't look salvageable, I'm looking for what I'm doing wrong. These are three different frags, that haven't grown at all in 2 years, they're deflated, not really doing much of anything. Do they need more light, flow, less light, less flow, or not salvageable?

 

[piranhaman00]

I love acans but most of mine look like crap right now as well, no idea why.

 

[Treefer32]

Sorry, I agree, mine look like crap too. I don't know if they're salvageable. I don't know whether to buy more that are healthier and see how they do.... I thought maybe my CBB picked at them (I've never seen him do this), but, I see no chunks of flesh missing. It's just really really deflated. I'd love to hear from an expert Acan keeper what to check for. Is there missing trace elements, or salt issues, or too much historical damage done they'll never recover, just survive?

 

[Reef_Envy]

Favor low light my acans even do well in slightly shaded areas around 50 par and try amino acids if possible my acans never puffed up good and grew new heads as well till I started Red Sea AB+

 

[Treefer32]

Yeah, I've been doing most of this now for a few months. I found my problems. They were several.

1. My phosphates were .55 ppm. Not something Acans like, even just reducing them slowly down to .52 the acans are extending fully at night and starting to puff up.

2. I was using IO salt, which had zero trace elements. I since switched to Reef Crystals and dosing Red Sea trace elements, A, B, C, D - Iron, Potassium, and other color elements.

3. reducing my phosphates. . .

I'm hoping they'll start growing over the next few months as I gradually get my phosphates in control.

 

[ELChingonsReef]

I have one that's not doing well eather. I dipped it in coral RX last night and put it in lower light . I love acans but they stress me out lol. Sometimes they look happy and sometimes not..its about 50/50 usually I don't know if its too much light or flow or pests but I've lost alot of acans over the years. I keep buying them hopefully one day I'll get it right

 

[ELChingonsReef]

This is the acan I'm talking about..its starting to loose tissue.

 

[Treefer32]

This is the acan I'm talking about..its starting to loose tissue.

Sorry to hear! I don't know why it would be receding. I have a scoly that is very slowly dying. It's sad. $150 coral down the drain, nearly literally..

My acans are slowly recovering. I got my phosphates down from .56 to .07. They're stabilizing at .07 ppm with Hana checker. One of my Acan frags is opening up all tentacles out at night and looks really healthy. The others are starting to come around too. They may be growing, but so slow! They haven't died so there's hope yet.

 

[mr.lordacan]

Sorry to hear! I don't know why it would be receding. I have a scoly that is very slowly dying. It's sad. $150 coral down the drain, nearly literally..

My acans are slowly recovering. I got my phosphates down from .56 to .07. They're stabilizing at .07 ppm with Hana checker. One of my Acan frags is opening up all tentacles out at night and looks really healthy. The others are starting to come around too. They may be growing, but so slow! They haven't died so there's hope yet.

Hi Treefer,
Any update on if your acans recovered after phosphates dropped? I’ve got 2 myself, one happy as can be while the second has been shriveled up the past 3 days. I did a water change, replaced chemipure (it had been in tank for 2 months and possibly spent). The only parameter out of wack was my phosphates. I was over feeding /went on vacation and setup an auto feeder and phosphates were at 0.56ppm (Hanna ULR). Seems like Purigen and skimmer kept nitrates at 10-20ppm. Currently running phosgaurd and water changes. Nitrates are at 10ppm and phosphates are down to .35ppm. I’m hoping as I slowly lower phosphates my Acan will plump back up. Otherwise I’m not entirely sure why it’s upset. It’s been happy the past ~8 months up until this past week. As of now, I’m guessing high phosphates in combination with decreasing phosphate levels is just bugging it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is the acan I'm talking about..its starting to loose tissue.

I dont favor acans on sand bed as they are easily irritated by sand. They require moderate light and water flow and often lack needed flow when on bottom of tank although they can thrive there. I would move them up a little and assure there is enough flow to keep sediment and waste off of them, feed mysis shrimp 2x per week and confirm with reliable test kits that your phosphate-nitrate-ph-alk-salinity are not elevated.