How often do you target feed Acans, and what food?

kirkaz · 07/14/2016, 05:24 PM

I have been adding a lot of Acan frags to my 465 gallon mixed reef, I primarily want to keep those and a bunch of softies in this still newish tank.

Hoping for advice on feeding as the title implies, also wouldn't mind advice on lighting and flow. Currently have an MP60 at one end and Maxspect Gyro at other end both about 40%. ReefBreeder lights, I use more blue throughout the day than white.

Thanks.

Remy LeBeau · 07/14/2016, 05:44 PM

Acans tend to prefer low to moderate lighting and flow IME. They're actually a very undemanding coral. As far as feeding them goes, I usually offer mine either NLS pellets or live black worms once every two weeks or so. (sometimes longer)

lokmar · 07/14/2016, 06:29 PM

I keep a small container in the refrigerator with 1 cube of brine shrimp, a few tbs of phyto, and about 1 tsp of eco eggs mixed in about 1/2 cup of tank water. I feed my acans about every other day, along with all the other corals about 2 hours after lights out, trying to get about half the heads with food.

that Fish Guy · 07/14/2016, 10:37 PM

I Feed 4 Different Foods to my Acans

1. Reef Roids
2. BRS Reef Chili
3. Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)
4. Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS)

Here is my Feeding Schedule

Tuesday -

- Reef Roids
- BRS Reef Chili
- Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)

I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water and Target Feed with a Pipette.

Friday -

- Reef Roids
- BRS Reef Chili
- Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)

I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water and Target Feed with a Pipette.

Sunday -

- Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS)

I Target Feed with a Pipette after Chopping it Up Fine with a Razor Blade.

that Fish Guy · 07/14/2016, 10:40 PM

Larry's (LRS) Reef Frenzy is what they go Nuts for.

Everytime I Feed them I see New Heads Sprouting.

It is No Joke!

steallife904 · 07/15/2016, 09:36 AM

I never feed them directly. I feed my tank Rods frozen food once a day. I usually defrost some in a little cup, then swirl around some tank water in it to help defrost and pour a bit in and come back 5 or 10 min later and dump the rest. the 1st small pour in allows the corals to sense food in the water and get the feeders out, then when I dump the rest in they eat

. This seems to work for me.

organism · 07/15/2016, 12:28 PM

+1, I never feed them anything and get some crazy colors.

Reef Frog · 07/15/2016, 01:02 PM

They can eat a wide range of foods and sizes, from mysis shrimp to zooplankton sized foods. A little "puff" of zooplankton like cyclops or similar is especially handy for the small baby polyps. Just don't over do the planktonic sized foods as the acans can only grab a small portion of it at any given time. I think feeding a variety is best, but yes, they also do well with no target feeding, getting by with what's naturally in the water. But feeding does seem to promote growth.

rt67ghy · 07/15/2016, 03:06 PM

I feed my acan echinata every other day either shrimp, squid or clam. I never feed my other acans but they are growing well.

kirkaz · 07/18/2016, 10:51 PM

Thanks, a broad range of answers. I am adding ReefRoids to what I'm feeding, will look into LRS as well.

megandy · 08/19/2018, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by that Fish Guy

I Feed 4 Different Foods to my Acans

1. Reef Roids
2. BRS Reef Chili
3. Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)
4. Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS)

Here is my Feeding Schedule

Tuesday -

- Reef Roids
- BRS Reef Chili
- Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)

I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water and Target Feed with a Pipette.

Friday -

- Reef Roids
- BRS Reef Chili
- Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement)

I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water and Target Feed with a Pipette.

Sunday -

- Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS)

I Target Feed with a Pipette after Chopping it Up Fine with a Razor Blade.

This is awesome info!! Thanks for all the details. I'm gonna set up a schedule similar to this. I appreciate the inspiration.

dtapke · 08/20/2018, 11:44 AM

I feed mine daily to every other day, typically a Ranchero Cheesesteak Burrito, some brine and mysis shrimp, mixed with reef roids.

sometimes i wonder if they'd just be happier eating a burrito... They're one of the most fun eaters to watch and seem insatiable. generally I'll thaw mysis/brine shrimp out in a cup, add a teaspoon or so of reefroids and mix it all together. Pumps OFF! then target feed.

BeachVacationer · 08/23/2018, 06:36 PM

I don't need any of my corals specifically. I just feed my fish and what's left over I guess my corals get it. But all of my corals have symbiotic zooxanthellae algae in them. My acans are growing nicely without any feeding and it's starting to get that nice ball shape to it. So I'm very happy with how it's growing without feeding it.

07/14/2016, 05:24 PM	#1
kirkaz Jade Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 1,760	How often do you target feed Acans, and what food? I have been adding a lot of Acan frags to my 465 gallon mixed reef, I primarily want to keep those and a bunch of softies in this still newish tank. Hoping for advice on feeding as the title implies, also wouldn't mind advice on lighting and flow. Currently have an MP60 at one end and Maxspect Gyro at other end both about 40%. ReefBreeder lights, I use more blue throughout the day than white. Thanks. __________________ Current Tanks- 465 Gallon in wall FOWLR 450 Gallon in wall Mixed Reef Hobby experience-since 2001

07/14/2016, 10:37 PM	#4
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	I Feed 4 Different Foods to my Acans 1. Reef Roids 2. BRS Reef Chili 3. Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement) 4. Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS) Here is my Feeding Schedule Tuesday - - Reef Roids - BRS Reef Chili - Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement) I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water and Target Feed with a Pipette. Friday - - Reef Roids - BRS Reef Chili - Seachem AquaVitro Fuel (Vitamin and Ammino Acid Supplement) I mix all 3 Together in some Tank Water and Target Feed with a Pipette. Sunday - - Larry's Reef Frenzy Frozen Food (LRS) I Target Feed with a Pipette after Chopping it Up Fine with a Razor Blade. __________________ For a Complete List of all the Frag Swaps in 2018 Click the Link Below. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2655153 You do not want to miss any! Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon, 45 Gallon, 29 Gallon, 20 Gallon, 20 Gallon #2, 10 Gallon

07/14/2016, 10:40 PM	#5
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	Larry's (LRS) Reef Frenzy is what they go Nuts for. Everytime I Feed them I see New Heads Sprouting. It is No Joke! __________________ For a Complete List of all the Frag Swaps in 2018 Click the Link Below. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2655153 You do not want to miss any! Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon, 45 Gallon, 29 Gallon, 20 Gallon, 20 Gallon #2, 10 Gallon

07/15/2016, 12:28 PM	#7
organism code monkey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: south bay Posts: 6,223	+1, I never feed them anything and get some crazy colors. __________________ I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros

07/15/2016, 03:06 PM	#9
rt67ghy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 984	I feed my acan echinata every other day either shrimp, squid or clam. I never feed my other acans but they are growing well. __________________ 180g mixed reef. 53g sump including 20g fuge. 320lbs LR, 140lbs LS. 1/2 hp chiller. Temp 75-79. Current Tank Info: Fish: 1 yellow tang, 1 mandarin, 1 pair of tomato clowns, 1 maroon clown, 1 skunk clown, 1 banggai cardinal. Anemones: 1 green haddoni carpet, 2 heteractis auroras, 1 LTA.

07/14/2016, 05:44 PM	#2
Remy LeBeau Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 70	Acans tend to prefer low to moderate lighting and flow IME. They're actually a very undemanding coral. As far as feeding them goes, I usually offer mine either NLS pellets or live black worms once every two weeks or so. (sometimes longer)

07/14/2016, 06:29 PM	#3
lokmar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Springfield, Il Posts: 95	I keep a small container in the refrigerator with 1 cube of brine shrimp, a few tbs of phyto, and about 1 tsp of eco eggs mixed in about 1/2 cup of tank water. I feed my acans about every other day, along with all the other corals about 2 hours after lights out, trying to get about half the heads with food.

07/15/2016, 09:36 AM	#6
steallife904 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 944	I never feed them directly. I feed my tank Rods frozen food once a day. I usually defrost some in a little cup, then swirl around some tank water in it to help defrost and pour a bit in and come back 5 or 10 min later and dump the rest. the 1st small pour in allows the corals to sense food in the water and get the feeders out, then when I dump the rest in they eat . This seems to work for me.

07/15/2016, 01:02 PM	#8
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	They can eat a wide range of foods and sizes, from mysis shrimp to zooplankton sized foods. A little "puff" of zooplankton like cyclops or similar is especially handy for the small baby polyps. Just don't over do the planktonic sized foods as the acans can only grab a small portion of it at any given time. I think feeding a variety is best, but yes, they also do well with no target feeding, getting by with what's naturally in the water. But feeding does seem to promote growth.

07/18/2016, 10:51 PM	#10
kirkaz Jade Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 1,760	Thanks, a broad range of answers. I am adding ReefRoids to what I'm feeding, will look into LRS as well. __________________ Current Tanks- 465 Gallon in wall FOWLR 450 Gallon in wall Mixed Reef Hobby experience-since 2001

08/20/2018, 11:44 AM	#12
dtapke Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 105	I feed mine daily to every other day, typically a Ranchero Cheesesteak Burrito, some brine and mysis shrimp, mixed with reef roids. sometimes i wonder if they'd just be happier eating a burrito... They're one of the most fun eaters to watch and seem insatiable. generally I'll thaw mysis/brine shrimp out in a cup, add a teaspoon or so of reefroids and mix it all together. Pumps OFF! then target feed.

08/23/2018, 06:36 PM	#13
BeachVacationer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 546	I don't need any of my corals specifically. I just feed my fish and what's left over I guess my corals get it. But all of my corals have symbiotic zooxanthellae algae in them. My acans are growing nicely without any feeding and it's starting to get that nice ball shape to it. So I'm very happy with how it's growing without feeding it.