Acan growth rate

Vivalashay · 12/16/2009, 09:25 AM

Just curious about the rate of your acan growth. I'm assuming that, like other corals, the rates are dependent on each individual coral but I would still like to hear your experience.

Mel-E-Mel · 12/16/2009, 09:30 AM

Keep it fed and it should grow pretty quick. I had a frag of about 5 heads and 6 months later it has about 12 to 15 heads.

1DeR9_3Hy · 12/16/2009, 09:44 AM

Low nutrient levels and lots of feeding (how to do, but can be done with work) will make just about any acan grow like a weed. There is a good thread on here showing exactly that, just spend some time searching the LPS forum.

urastame · 12/16/2009, 02:34 PM

Acan also like med flow to gather food.

PhamtonBlue · 12/16/2009, 08:14 PM

I feed mine and they grow pretty fast. But i have had acans that don't grow that fast even after like a year.

Mark426 · 12/16/2009, 09:59 PM

Many different types of Acans with different growth rates.
One generalization I have noticed with my Acans is the ones that have big fluffy heads like this one have much faster growth rates

Than ones with tight, squished and oblong heads like this one

buttons buster · 12/17/2009, 02:34 AM

That bottom acan is beautiful

Colione · 12/17/2009, 02:51 AM

i've had some acans for over 6 months. I feed them a few times a week, and while a few heads have split they haven't grown on the rock, or spread to adjacent rocks. Kind of annoying so I stopped feeding them, cause feeding clearly wasn't helping them grow.

Reef Bass · 12/17/2009, 08:35 AM

In my experience, feeding encourages formation of lots of new polyps.

Mark426 · 12/17/2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef Bass

In my experience, feeding encourages formation of lots of new polyps.

Mine too

PCfishman · 12/17/2009, 04:29 PM

From my experience one of the biggest myths about acan lordhowensis is that they grow fast. Don't get me wrong, baby heads typically form within the first 2-3 months, but it can take up to a year+ for them to become full sized polyps...

hk855 · 12/19/2009, 01:53 AM

I agree with PCfishman in general, they tend to sprout up to a dozen baby heads but then take months till they grow up and start with newer ones. I feed an orange one almost daily for 3 months and it went from one quarter sized head to 5 or 6 in about 3 or 4 months and probably 2 inches of skeleton then I lost daily interest and its been growing slowly ever since(2 years). It would probably be 8+ inches today if I never fraged it, didn't switch tanks and lights, moved multiple times and maintained feeding but its still a good 20-30 heads and baseball+ sized.

crsaz · 12/19/2009, 02:13 AM

I have a colony of about 70 heads and in the 3 months I've had it it's popped up around 40-50 babies only a few have grown to about the size of a dime and the rest are now big enough for multiple mysis so hopefully soon I will have 40+ more adult polyps, I am going to try and feed them daily and see how they react.

Colione · 12/19/2009, 02:22 AM

what about the base? How does the base grow?

A few new heads have grown, but the stony base hasn't expanded at all, and now there are all these hard tube worm things on the side of the frag, not sure if the stony base will grow over that? Any thoughts on that?

sc reefer · 12/19/2009, 10:46 AM

What would you reccommend feeding small acan polyps? I just got a very small frag (less than dime size) and need to find something it will eat.

Acronic · 12/19/2009, 11:48 AM

cyclopeze ^ at night

sc reefer · 12/19/2009, 01:48 PM

Would you reccommend target feeding,small chuncks by hand or broadcast?

75g brat · 12/20/2009, 07:20 PM

I just got my frist one a week ago and have been feeding it mysis. And it is growing fast I think. I would stay with target feeding its working for me.

PCfishman · 12/20/2009, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colione

what about the base? How does the base grow?

A few new heads have grown, but the stony base hasn't expanded at all, and now there are all these hard tube worm things on the side of the frag, not sure if the stony base will grow over that? Any thoughts on that?

I've had one colony lay down a new row of polyps over a year ago and another after that. Neither row really have a thick or recognizable skeleton as far as I can see. There may be one under the polyp, but don't want to kill one to find out. Long story short, they seem to grow skeletons really slowly.

reefgems · 12/21/2009, 12:25 AM

two to three polyps to a dozen easy if you feed them depending on specific type, you will notice matchhead sized babies along the outer growth ring. feed those babies too for faster growth!

SchmittyG · 06/13/2017, 05:25 PM

I think also a key besides target feeding is making sure your calcium, magnesium and alkalinity are on point and stable. Patience is always key

SchmittyG · 11/27/2017, 05:31 PM

Ive had my acan for 5 1/2 months and havent had any new heads, it has grown a bit but nothing new to report... I feed it occasionally but Ill try feeding more regularly...

DesertReefT4r · 12/03/2017, 04:27 PM

Keep them happy and feed a coral food to the tank and they will grow well, I had 3 different acans all had 2-5 heads each and they grew into tea cup dish sized colonies in under a year. Mid-high lighting, mid flow a coral food that stays in the water colum for a little while.

d0ughb0y · 12/04/2017, 11:30 AM

a resurrected old thread.

I got 2 acans, 1 head each back in 2010. never fed anything. now it is over 50 heads (too many to count). It won't grow if you keep watching it.

12/16/2009, 09:25 AM	#1
Vivalashay Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Norfolk VA Posts: 39	Acan growth rate Just curious about the rate of your acan growth. I'm assuming that, like other corals, the rates are dependent on each individual coral but I would still like to hear your experience.

12/17/2009, 02:51 AM	#8
Colione Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Santa Monica, CA Posts: 412	i've had some acans for over 6 months. I feed them a few times a week, and while a few heads have split they haven't grown on the rock, or spread to adjacent rocks. Kind of annoying so I stopped feeding them, cause feeding clearly wasn't helping them grow. __________________ 50 Gal Rimless T5 SPS Current Tank Info: 50 gal Rimless

12/17/2009, 08:35 AM	#9
Reef Bass colors and textures Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Petaluma CA Posts: 6,301	In my experience, feeding encourages formation of lots of new polyps. __________________ The human desires for instant gratification and immediate problem resolution cannot be satisfied with this hobby. Former president and co-president of the Wine Country Reefers. Current Tank Info: 60 gallons of Scleractinia and Zoanthidae lit w/ LEDs

12/19/2009, 02:22 AM	#14
Colione Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Santa Monica, CA Posts: 412	what about the base? How does the base grow? A few new heads have grown, but the stony base hasn't expanded at all, and now there are all these hard tube worm things on the side of the frag, not sure if the stony base will grow over that? Any thoughts on that? __________________ 50 Gal Rimless T5 SPS Current Tank Info: 50 gal Rimless

12/19/2009, 11:48 AM	#16
Acronic The Fifth Master Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,813	cyclopeze ^ at night __________________ Kevin I have lost all concept of reality and live in an SPS world now.

12/16/2009, 09:30 AM	#2
Mel-E-Mel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Shark City San Jose, CA Posts: 1,950	Keep it fed and it should grow pretty quick. I had a frag of about 5 heads and 6 months later it has about 12 to 15 heads.

12/16/2009, 09:44 AM	#3
1DeR9_3Hy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,575	Low nutrient levels and lots of feeding (how to do, but can be done with work) will make just about any acan grow like a weed. There is a good thread on here showing exactly that, just spend some time searching the LPS forum.

12/16/2009, 02:34 PM	#4
urastame Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: West Coast Posts: 51	Acan also like med flow to gather food.

12/16/2009, 08:14 PM	#5
PhamtonBlue Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 52	I feed mine and they grow pretty fast. But i have had acans that don't grow that fast even after like a year.

12/16/2009, 09:59 PM	#6
Mark426 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,479	Many different types of Acans with different growth rates. One generalization I have noticed with my Acans is the ones that have big fluffy heads like this one have much faster growth rates Than ones with tight, squished and oblong heads like this one

12/17/2009, 02:34 AM	#7
buttons buster Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,428	That bottom acan is beautiful

12/17/2009, 04:29 PM	#11
PCfishman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 154	From my experience one of the biggest myths about acan lordhowensis is that they grow fast. Don't get me wrong, baby heads typically form within the first 2-3 months, but it can take up to a year+ for them to become full sized polyps...

12/19/2009, 01:53 AM	#12
hk855 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 297	I agree with PCfishman in general, they tend to sprout up to a dozen baby heads but then take months till they grow up and start with newer ones. I feed an orange one almost daily for 3 months and it went from one quarter sized head to 5 or 6 in about 3 or 4 months and probably 2 inches of skeleton then I lost daily interest and its been growing slowly ever since(2 years). It would probably be 8+ inches today if I never fraged it, didn't switch tanks and lights, moved multiple times and maintained feeding but its still a good 20-30 heads and baseball+ sized.

12/19/2009, 02:13 AM	#13
crsaz Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: phoenix Posts: 1,314	I have a colony of about 70 heads and in the 3 months I've had it it's popped up around 40-50 babies only a few have grown to about the size of a dime and the rest are now big enough for multiple mysis so hopefully soon I will have 40+ more adult polyps, I am going to try and feed them daily and see how they react.

12/19/2009, 10:46 AM	#15
sc reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 99	What would you reccommend feeding small acan polyps? I just got a very small frag (less than dime size) and need to find something it will eat.

12/19/2009, 01:48 PM	#17
sc reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 99	Would you reccommend target feeding,small chuncks by hand or broadcast?

12/20/2009, 07:20 PM	#18
75g brat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: iowa Posts: 18	I just got my frist one a week ago and have been feeding it mysis. And it is growing fast I think. I would stay with target feeding its working for me.

12/21/2009, 12:25 AM	#20
reefgems Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: WI NY Posts: 156	two to three polyps to a dozen easy if you feed them depending on specific type, you will notice matchhead sized babies along the outer growth ring. feed those babies too for faster growth!

06/13/2017, 05:25 PM	#21
SchmittyG Schmitty Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 257	I think also a key besides target feeding is making sure your calcium, magnesium and alkalinity are on point and stable. Patience is always key __________________ Current Tank: 40G Nuvo from IM with MP10 and LED lighting(Kessil a360w); two large hairy green mushrooms, 2 tank raised percula clown fish, 2 Rose Anenome, 3 frogspawns, an Australian duncan, a birds Current Tank Info: 40 gallon Nuvo tank from IM

11/27/2017, 05:31 PM	#22
SchmittyG Schmitty Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 257	Ive had my acan for 5 1/2 months and havent had any new heads, it has grown a bit but nothing new to report... I feed it occasionally but Ill try feeding more regularly... __________________ Current Tank: 40G Nuvo from IM with MP10 and LED lighting(Kessil a360w); two large hairy green mushrooms, 2 tank raised percula clown fish, 2 Rose Anenome, 3 frogspawns, an Australian duncan, a birds Current Tank Info: 40 gallon Nuvo tank from IM

12/03/2017, 04:27 PM	#23
DesertReefT4r Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Mesa Az Posts: 771	Keep them happy and feed a coral food to the tank and they will grow well, I had 3 different acans all had 2-5 heads each and they grew into tea cup dish sized colonies in under a year. Mid-high lighting, mid flow a coral food that stays in the water colum for a little while.

12/04/2017, 11:30 AM	#24
d0ughb0y Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sf bay area Posts: 5,165	a resurrected old thread. I got 2 acans, 1 head each back in 2010. never fed anything. now it is over 50 heads (too many to count). It won't grow if you keep watching it.