Acan feeding help

[2ndThief]

so i've started getting back into getting acans, and have started with one I picked up at LFS. I got him moved into the lower left corner of the 30 Biocube tank as you can see

http://gallery.me.com/perryxcore#100023/Acan%202&bgcolor=black
http://gallery.me.com/perryxcore#100023/Acan%202&bgcolor=black

and a closer picture of the area
http://gallery.me.com/perryxcore#100023/Acan%203&bgcolor=black
http://gallery.me.com/perryxcore#100023/Acan%203&bgcolor=black

As you can see I have an anemone w/ clown. The clown is the only inhabitant for the last 2 years and has become quite dominant/aggresive, any time my hand comes near the top of the water its ready to full-out-assault my hand, haha, so its now come to me having to use my net to trap the fish while I try to use a turkey baster to get shrimp on the acan. Is there a better method that would not involve freaking my fish out all the time? Plus I dont have that much luck w the turkey baster :(

[philosophile]

You don't >really< have to feed your acans.... if you do, try to keep it to once or twice a week.

Feed your clowns first, give them a few minutes to be full, then try to go in and squirt the acans with some shrimp. Turning off the pumps will usually help them grab on quicker. Also feeding them at night when their tentacles are extended helps too (Although some of my acans are always extended during the day).

If squirting doesn't work, then suck up some of your food, and just let it hover over the acan, and the food should fall out of your baster and land on the acan. Takes a little more patience, but you'll usually get it right where you want it this way.

[2ndThief]

thank you for the reply,

I am aware that feeding doesn't have to happen, I've had previous bad luck with acans receding and this time I'm trying having it shaded and feed it to help w initial growth.

I do feed the fish first but it just simply does not like human hands, and I do feed when the lights and filter are off, thank you for the feeding tips.

[saltwater freak]

you don't >really< have to feed your acans.... If you do, try to keep it to once or twice a week.

Feed your clowns first, give them a few minutes to be full, then try to go in and squirt the acans with some shrimp. Turning off the pumps will usually help them grab on quicker. Also feeding them at night when their tentacles are extended helps too (although some of my acans are always extended during the day).

If squirting doesn't work, then suck up some of your food, and just let it hover over the acan, and the food should fall out of your baster and land on the acan. Takes a little more patience, but you'll usually get it right where you want it this way.

+1

[baumgardner]

i use a plastic 3ml. dropper i got from the hydroponic store and enriched rinsed brineshrimp. turn off the pumps and I'll feed a little and trigger a feeding response than feed away the turkey baster is so large and and messy. I hope this helps and good luck

[chathomas]

I feed my acans 3x a week and they are thriving. I got them all as little frags and now have many new heads. Granted they each get a tiny bit of mysis but they dig it apparently. I also feed the fish first or else they will try and get it away from the corals I feed

[thefurrywarrior]

I feed my acans 3x a week and they are thriving. I got them all as little frags and now have many new heads. Granted they each get a tiny bit of mysis but they dig it apparently. I also feed the fish first or else they will try and get it away from the corals I feed

+1 to this.

I feed mine 3 times as well. Mon, Wed, Fri. I have had 5 new heads pop up in 3 weeks. Can't complain with that. I feed a mysis/brine mix and each head gets a few shrimp. I didn't do this at first but as soon as I started I noticed considerable growth. I now do this with all my LPS. My Bubblegum Tyree chalice is probably the one I am most happy with. It went from nickel sized to quarter sized in 3 weeks!!

[2ndThief]

I have an additional question with the acan.

I want to move it out from that shaded area to somewhere a little easier to be seen, its been in the tank a week, should I just leave it where it is or is it safe to move it to more direct lighting? I'm kinda nervous cause of the previous trouble I've had with acans

[philosophile]

Depends on the lighting you have. If you have some really intense lights like MH, you might burn them. But under T5s they seem to do fine for me.

[2ndThief]

I just got a brand new Radium 20K 150 W about 6 inches above water level in a sunpod light fixture. Here's an updated pic of the acan looking pretty healthy and the area that its in. There isn't much shade to be found anywhere else than where I have the acan sitting, I would like to move him from that spot but I do not want to risk irritation or color loss.

http://gallery.me.com/perryxcore#100038/P1040042&bgcolor=black

is a front shot

http://gallery.me.com/perryxcore#100038/P1040051&bgcolor=black

and one from the side

[BattlesReef]

I had the exact same tank and light as you for a few years and had multiple acans. If you move them into the light I would definatly keep it lower in the tank. No matter where you put them, they will still get light shocked for a little while. However as long as you dont have them all the way up top they will be fine. Also I feed all my corals 3 times a week. Bio Pellets are really the only way I am able to do so with out constant water changes but the coral grows like crazy.