Acans vs. Softies?

[Treefer32]

I saw an article recently and was wondering if there's any truth. essentially the hypothesis was that Acan class LPS will not do well in mixed reefs with Soft corals. I've got a massive 12-14" Toadstool, a 10-12" rock covered in GSP and a large colony of Xenia in my 350 gallon display. With that I've got SPS - several types of Acros doing well.

My Acans that I've had for 2 years ,Haven't grown well. Their feeders are out at night and since reducing my phosphates they look a lot healthier in the last 2 months. But, At this rate, I'll be 90 before they're a 2 inch ball.

Is there something about GSP, Xenia, and a toadstool that would influence the water chemistry so much that Acan class of corals won't grow?

My Candy Canes, Hammers are all growing new heads and have look great! It's what prompted me to give the information any credence. . . I've had ICP tests done. Nothing wrong with my water chemistry other than phosphates, which I dealt with over a 3-4 month period. My water's never been cleaner now!

 

[Staghorn]

Now that your phosphates are lower they should continually get better. Do you target feed them at all?

 

[Tcook]

Mine have been doing well near this leather. Now if you have a lot of toadstools sloughing off terpenes it may be a different story. How large is your tank and are you running carbon?

 

[Tyler Flynn]

There is talk that the toxins leathers give off as part of their chemical warfare can hinder the growth of other corals.
I have no personal experience with it, but that thinking has gained some traction lately

 

[mdb_talon]

I have not had any problems with acans in the scenario you describe. They do well and seem to grow at a good pace based off my expectations of how fast they should be going. Maybe my expectations are bad though and they would grow twice as fast if I tossed my leathers and xenia

 

[Treefer32]

Ha! I don't feed them. I tried and that raised my phosphates. Lol. So I stopped and added more fish. I have 27 fish in a 350 gallon display plus I over feed. Their feeders are out every night. Just not growing. They poof up now more than they used to but I've had 3 one inch frags for 2 years. And they're still one inch frags. Tempted to trade them or give them to someone else if they don't do anything in the next 2 years. It's easily $200 worth of scans. About 3 to 4 polyps per colony.

I don't run carbon. Just purigen.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Trade or sell the softies. Not the brain coral. Lol
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Yes softies can release toxins into the waters. Chemical warfare ppl call it. Proof? I havent seen any sorry.
D

 

[Treefer32]

I'll keep doing what I'm doing. I hope they start growing at some point, I'll have to start feeding when the lights are off that's when they extend their feeders.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I have done many trials with certain softies and certain lps. The lps never fair good in the trials. I have a separate tank all together for lps.
Don't even get me started on the gorgs vs lps.

 

[Treefer32]

I'm tempted to setup an office tank - 40-45 gallon and move my current Acans to that with no other corals to see how fast they take off compared to the last 2 years of these 3 frags being in my current display.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I kept acans in my little 6g without issues. They did great. Until, I took it down and now they are not happy in the mixed reef. Tricky little blighters.

 

[Just John]

You should find this helpful - acans mixed with zoas and other things:

 

[Treefer32]

You should find this helpful - acans mixed with zoas and other things:

I wish I could find the reefteez guy and talk to him, because I watched his video a few months ago, and followed everything he says for my acan frags. But, I've got them as low as I can in the tank. I've feed reef roids, Red Sea AB+, dosed trace elements, made sure they're in a low flow area with 2 gyres on a variable slow flow. And just don't get much growth. So, would love to share videos of my tank and acans with an acan expert to see what else I could do? Do I need to move them, or do something else to help them. . .

 

[Just John]

I wish I could find the reefteez guy and talk to him, because I watched his video a few months ago, and followed everything he says for my acan frags. But, I've got them as low as I can in the tank. I've feed reef roids, Red Sea AB+, dosed trace elements, made sure they're in a low flow area with 2 gyres on a variable slow flow. And just don't get much growth. So, would love to share videos of my tank and acans with an acan expert to see what else I could do? Do I need to move them, or do something else to help them. . .

I am considering getting a couple. This guy makes it seem simple, but some posts say otherwise. May just get an inexpensive one and see how it goes. I would love to have them mixed in with zoas like he does. By the way, is the weather perfect there now? It's already too hot and sticky here.

 

[Treefer32]

I am considering getting a couple. This guy makes it seem simple, but some posts say otherwise. May just get an inexpensive one and see how it goes. I would love to have them mixed in with zoas like he does. By the way, is the weather perfect there now? It's already too hot and sticky here.

Getting there.. It's a high of 65 today and still in the 30s and 40s at night. It's almost perfect!

 

[Just John]

Getting there.. It's a high of 65 today and still in the 30s and 40s at night. It's almost perfect!

I need to move back to VA. It's 88 here today.

 

[Steven Garland]

Spot feeding Acan's with meaty foods such a mysis,lps max will help. Within a few weeks to a month with regular feedings they should start popping off babies.

Also,I have found Acan's like lower light,medium flow,and always being fed. Just my experience though.

I feed a mixture of mysis,brine shrimp,oyster feast,copepod/rotifer powder all mixed together and spot feed my frags.

When I had my last garden a few years back,I spot fed every frag 3 times a week, which all frags were 1-2 heads and under a year I had a full blown garden. I'll attach a pic of my old garden.

 

[Just John]

Spot feeding Acan's with meaty foods such a mysis,lps max will help. Within a few weeks to a month with regular feedings they should start popping off babies.

Also,I have found Acan's like lower light,medium flow,and always being fed. Just my experience though.

I feed a mixture of mysis,brine shrimp,oyster feast,copepod/rotifer powder all mixed together and spot feed my frags.

When I had my last garden a few years back,I spot fed every frag 3 times a week, which all frags were 1-2 heads and under a year I had a full blown garden. I'll attach a pic of my old garden.

Wow! Impressive garden!

 

[Just John]

Wow! Impressive garden!

Actually, I have a question too. I am about to buy my first acan and I am wondering if there are any colors to avoid or that are disappointing when in your own tank. For example, most blue Ricordea Florida look awesome on websites like WWC, but in your tank and under blues they are just the same color as the rest of the tank. Totally boring. - Thanks