What’s up with these Acans?

[Ian Baxter]

My acans are nice and wide open during the day and now the both look like this. Had the orange ones for a month and the rainbow for almost two weeks. Zoas, mushroom, and blasto look good. Any ideas?

 

[Retro Reefer]

Not uncommon for Acans to do that occasionally but providing complete details about your system along with all parameters would be helpful in determining if there are other possible issues causing it that may need to be addressed.

 

[IKD]

Agree it would be good to see the parameters. Mine do that occasionally but when it stays like that, I’ve found that flow was too high in that spot for them.

 

[Ian Baxter]

Not uncommon for Acans to do that occasionally but providing complete details about your system along with all parameters would be helpful in determining if there are other possible issues causing it that may need to be addressed.

Sorry, completely forgot the parameters. My mag has been consistently testing low for the last several weeks when I started getting corals and testing. I use Tropic Marin salt (not pro). System is 10 months old and 120gal long. Only fish are 2 clowns that stay on the other side of the tank in their nem and a PBT. Haven’t seen him mess with any coral. The urchins were knocking the acans over for a while, so I glued them about 4 days ago.
the acans will usually open back up in the morning and look good most of the day.
Sailfert test kit for Alk, Ca, Mg
API for others
Refractometer for salinity

 

[El_Guapo13]

How is the flow and lighting? Also have you checked around them to see if anything might be bugging them, like Vermiteds or Aiptasia? Also do you have a phosphate reading?

 

[Ian Baxter]

How is the flow and lighting? Also have you checked around them to see if anything might be bugging them, like Vermiteds or Aiptasia? Also do you have a phosphate reading?

I don’t think there’s too much flow as there are rocks to their left that block them from the gyre. As far as lighting, I don’t know what PAR they’re at, but they’re at the lower part of the tank. Maybe 3-4 inches off the sand bed for the rainbow and 7-8 inches off for the orange. The mushroom and blasto are about an inch off and doing great.
no aiptasia and no vermiteds near them that I see. I do have a bunch of bristleworms. I don’t have a phosphate test yet.

 

[Ian Baxter]

How is the flow and lighting? Also have you checked around them to see if anything might be bugging them, like Vermiteds or Aiptasia? Also do you have a phosphate reading?

These are the lights I have and they are about 12 in above water. I can’t remember off hand my light schedule but the start to ramp on at 9am for 45 min, then they are off completely by 8pm with 45 min ramp down.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Sorry, completely forgot the parameters. My mag has been consistently testing low for the last several weeks when I started getting corals and testing. I use Tropic Marin salt (not pro). System is 10 months old and 120gal long. Only fish are 2 clowns that stay on the other side of the tank in their nem and a PBT. Haven’t seen him mess with any coral. The urchins were knocking the acans over for a while, so I glued them about 4 days ago.
the acans will usually open back up in the morning and look good most of the day.
Sailfert test kit for Alk, Ca, Mg
API for others
Refractometer for salinity

Would be nice to know PO4 but everything looks fine except Mg, I would get that up to about 1350. If I recall correctly the last time my Mg slipped that low some of my LPS didn't seem to appreciate it also understand the behavior exhibited by your acans is somewhat normal.. mine do it all the time, sometimes for many days before re-inflating. Not an expert in coral behavior but I think it's connected to reproduction and the coral shifting energy, light exposure and nutrient availability to new heads forming around base.

 

[Fishko]

Do you have a cleaner shrimp, that sometimes happens to my acans when the lights are about to go out, the shrimp sometimes walks over them

 

[Ian Baxter]

Would be nice to know PO4 but everything looks fine except Mg, I would get that up to about 1350. If I recall correctly the last time my Mg slipped that low some of my LPS didn't seem to appreciate it also understand the behavior exhibited by your acans is somewhat normal.. mine do it all the time, sometimes for many days before re-inflating. Not an expert in coral behavior but I think it's connected to reproduction and the coral shifting energy, light exposure and nutrient availability to new heads forming around base.

They have already re-inflated and both have smaller heads coming in.
currently trying to find a mag supplement to help raise it.

 

[Ian Baxter]

Do you have a cleaner shrimp, that sometimes happens to my acans when the lights are about to go out, the shrimp sometimes walks over them

I sure do. That is totally possible although I haven’t seen it. I always see him walking over my zoas and GSP.

 

[AmaleeC]

In the pic it looks like it has feeder tentacles out and puffing itself up. I thought that if they’re making themselves look “fluffy” that’s a good sign? I could 100% be wrong, as I’m kinda new to this. But I want to make sure mine are okay when they do this lol