Acan Coral
Acanthastrea genus Acan corals, which are just called “Acans,” are a simple way to add color and depth to many reef tanks. Canes are tough and a good choice for beginners. They do best in tanks with reasonable flow and lighting, as well as a small amount of organic matter that has dissolved. Acans are easy to tell apart from other species in the Lobophylliidae family because they have bigger soft polyps, a unique shape, coloring, and skeletal structure.
How to take care of coral
If you want a coral that is pretty easy to take care of, the Acan is a great pick. It needs a modest amount of light and flow in the tank, and the normal reef conditions should be fine. But you should wait until your tank is fully established before adding an Acan coral. Also, make sure the coral has enough room to grow because its brush tentacles can reach about an inch in all directions. The Acan coral isn’t very mean, but it’s still best to keep it away from other corals because it could hurt them.
Giving Food to Acan Coral
Photosynthesis gives Acan Coral (Acanthastrea) some of the food it needs, but not all of it. Acans need extra food, while many other coral species get their food from photosynthesis. You only need to feed your Acans twice a week, but some people feed them every other day to help them grow the most.
High-quality frozen Mysis Shrimp and Reef roods are the best things to feed your Acans. A squirt feeder is used for target feeding. Kent makes the feeder I like best, and it can be used for both liquid and solid foods. As a last resort, a turkey baster can also be used to feed birds.
Many sources say that target feeding happens at night, but my Acans spread their tentacles during the day. Mix the solution with tank water and lightly spray it into the coral so the tentacles can feel the food. After that, the coral will start to eat.
How to break up Acan coral
This process of spreading your Acan coral, which is also called “fragging,” can be hard because of its shape. To properly frag it, you’ll need special tools like a band saw or other cuts. On the other hand, fragging Acan is a pretty easy process. You just need to cut the coral into the shape you want, wash it with iodine-water to kill any germs, and then glue it to a frag plug or rock. After that, the coral should be able to get better and keep growing normally.
Light
The idea of Acan care is balance, and the lighting needs are no different. Too much light could kill or bleach plants if they are put at the top of the water column. Here are the lighting settings I use for one of my tanks with different species.
It’s important to choose the right spot for Acan coral because of its aggression, water flow, and lighting needs. Leave at least 4 to 6 inches of space between Acans and other coral, since they will fight to be in charge.
Keep in mind that you need to properly adapt your coral. Some people just let the bag float for 30 minutes and then throw it into the tank. To be safe, I would dip the coral for 5 to 10 minutes to get rid of any bacteria, bugs, or comets. I drip-acclimate the coral at the same time that I wash it off with clean saltwater. Many people would drip adapt or use another method for a longer time, but I’ve never had a problem putting the Acans back in the tank after I dip them. For beginners, don’t glue your piece or colony to your live rock right away. You may need to move the coral around to make it fit properly.
Do you know of any other tricks or tips? Leave a comment below, and most of all, have fun learning how to keep reef aquariums.
