No Acan Growth

[Shep]

So some of the acans I have in my tank are not growing at all, they have been in there for almost a year and they haven't even covered the skeleton on the frag plug. Any suggestions as to what might be the problem? They still fully inflate and eat well when I feed them.

 

[C4!]

I'm fairly new to LPS as I've never had many in the past... I think I get good growth although I've never really thought about it or have anything to compare it to I guess. I do feed fairly heavily I guess, and they get decent light under my leds with lower/ moderate flow.

For food I just broadcast feed the tank acropower or kent coral accell just about everyday, reefroids every couple days, mysis, flake and pellets daily. Finally hit double digits w/ fish recently :squigglemouth: Skimmer pulls 1/2-3/4 gallon of crud every 5-7 days. Phosphates were .09 last check and all my LPS are loving life

 

[MrDJeep123]

Are they grouped together or singly so as to have space?

 

[Shep]

Are they grouped together or singly so as to have space?

pretty close together but not like right next to eachother

 

[MrDJeep123]

pretty close together but not like right next to eachother

I know the skeleton takes some time to grow. But surely you would've seen something. Sand or on the rocks? I've read that if on the sand, they'll just grow in a ball. On the rocks apparently gives them opportunity to spread out. I have mine on the sand currently with plans to move to rock once I find the time to do so.

 

[Shep]

They are on the rock, its just weird that they have not even grown really.

 

[jg93]

I'm pretty much over acans. 8 years in the hobby, I can grow anything, but acans - Lordhowensis in particular - befuddle me. I have about 1/2 a dozen frags. Some grew heads quickly then stopped. Some never grew. Some receded, and are now growing again. My last Acan, a rainbow, sprouted 5 heads quickly, was doing great. One day it started to recede - three days later totally dead. Right next to all my other acans.

That said, I have an Acan Echinata that has grown like mad, it's the size of my hand now. One mean coral!

 

[Shep]

I'm pretty much over acans. 8 years in the hobby, I can grow anything, but acans - Lordhowensis in particular - befuddle me. I have about 1/2 a dozen frags. Some grew heads quickly then stopped. Some never grew. Some receded, and are now growing again. My last Acan, a rainbow, sprouted 5 heads quickly, was doing great. One day it started to recede - three days later totally dead. Right next to all my other acans.

That said, I have an Acan Echinata that has grown like mad, it's the size of my hand now. One mean coral!

Thats the problem I am having, I have some that had baby heads pop up really fast but then nothing else and some that just wont grow at all. I love this coral but its kind of driving me mad.

 

[Jimbo662]

I bought a bunch of acan from Aqua SD in Nov. I've got them under a kessil A360we and all have been adding heads and growing fairly steadily. I learned they don't like really clean water. I was doing weekly water changes and they just looked ok. I've not done a water change in about a month and they're all much fuller / happier looking.

 

[KoleTang]

My acans would not grow at all under a 6 bulb T5 on my 57g. I took that down and moved everything to an old biocube as a holding tank with a retrofitted 3 bulb T5 and mediocre water conditions and low flow. Suddenly they are open x2-x3 times what they ever were and growing heads left and right. They don't like much flow or light and they don't mind dirtier water.

The S. wilsoni and Trachyphyllia seems to prefer these conditions as well.

 

[Jimbo662]

Exactly!

 

[Shep]

I have dirty water low flow and low light, they open up huge and eat really well. They just are not growing

 

[Jimbo662]

hmmm, how about some pics of you set up / tank?

 

[Vaughn17]

Do you spot feed and, if so, what and how often?

 

[Shep]

Do you spot feed and, if so, what and how often?

Probably every few days and I spot feed them the Reef Frenzy I have left over after feeding my fish.

 

[Shep]

hmmm, how about some pics of you set up / tank?

Here you go, sorry for the crappy pics I was in a hurry.

 

[Jimbo662]

what intensity are your lights set to?

 

[Shep]

what intensity are your lights set to?

50% color 30% intensity

 

[Jimbo662]

ok, that's close to what mine is at. hmmm, not sure what else could be the cause.

 

[Vaughn17]

Maybe try feeding them something else. I have two Lord colonies in my SPS tank that I spot feed bits of lobster tail or mysis, every other day, and they are growing well. And, they grew even faster when I spot fed them every day. I also have a colony in my higher nitrate QT, and that Lord gets fed daily and has two to three inch polyps (they look like baby scolyies). Had another Lord colony right next to it that just slowly withered and was difficult to feed. When it became apparent it was going to die in my tank, I gave it to my LFS. Go figure.

Also, I do agree with other posts about acans being persnickity about lighting.