Do Acan's HAVE To be fed?

[saltman123]

Are common Acan's photosynthetic, or must they be fed regularly?

Could an Acan survive without feeding or must it get food other than light?

[Jflip2002]

Zooanthallae (spelling?) are photosynthetic, but they also feed off the corals waste. I think if you have a real low nutrient environment, then it'll need to be fed. If your water column has some sort of plankton, whether it be phyto or zoo, then it'll be fine. I personally have never fed ANY of my corals, ever. But I feed real heavy, and skim real wet. So they're always getting something. You dont want excess nutrients in the water, because that'll just lead to other problems. It just kinda depends upon your system. Try some Rods Food, and see how that works out for you, if you want to feed....

[saltman123]

I only have a 12 gallon nano without a skimmer, so I try not to feed too much. Lots of Formula Two pellets, and frozen mysis when the tank gets a treat, but not a lot.

Would an acan do alright under PC lighting without much feeding?

[tmz]

Acanastrea are photosynthetic but will benefit from occasional feeding of zooplankton.

[Jflip2002]

Try feeding zooplankton the day before, or the morning of your water change. That way they can get their food, but it doesnt stay in the system for too long.

[saltman123]

Where do I get zooplankton? Is that a liquid like DT Phytoplankton, or oyster eggs? Or is frozen Cyclop-eeze ideal? I have a ton of cyclop-eeze that I've never fed my tank yet.

[Jflip2002]

cyclopeeze would be good. Oyster eggs are expensive, but also would work. Not phytoplankton, thats an algae rather than a small crustacean.

[saltman123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13715744#post13715744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jflip2002
cyclopeeze would be good. Oyster eggs are expensive, but also would work. Not phytoplankton, thats an algae rather than a small crustacean.

Cool, I already have cyclop-eeze.

[tmz]

Zooplankton refers to animal as opposed to algal plankton(phyto plankton). It can be birne shrimp, babybrine shrimp, rotifers, copepods, cyclopeeze, oyster eggs, even mysis shrimp,etc. Small meaty foods dead or alive will work.