Receding Acan

[testuser]

Hi All,

Is this acan echinata receding and showing skeleton? It eats just fine and I've been monitoring my water chemistry like a hawk (after learning that undetectable nitrates and phosphates was bad). Everything as of this morning seemed to be in check, but folks with acan experience, what are your thoughts? I do see either coraline or cyano (something red) on its base.

 

[blaxsun]

It looks very healthy; I'm not seeing any recession (if there is, it's really minuscule).

 

[testuser]

It looks very healthy; I'm not seeing any recession (if there is, it's really minuscule).

Oh good! I was concerned about the lower left receding a bit, but maybe it was partially buried in the sand and I never noticed it before. I appreciate the second set of eyes!

 

[blaxsun]

Oh good! I was concerned about the lower left receding a bit, but maybe it was partially buried in the sand and I never noticed it before. I appreciate the second set of eyes!

Many corals don't like being placed directly in the sand as whenever it gets stirred up it tends to irritate them, so your acan may benefit from being placed on a small rock ledge further away from the sand bed.

 

[testuser]

Many corals don't like being placed directly in the sand as whenever it gets stirred up it tends to irritate them, so your acan may benefit from being placed on a small rock ledge further away from the sand bed.

Hmmm, do you think if it's on a frag plug slightly elevated that could work (I recently raised it up)? Otherwise, I can place it on the island rock next to it.

On the topic of on the sand, are chalices and scolys okay to leave on the sand?

 

[blaxsun]

Hmmm, do you think if it's on a frag plug slightly elevated that could work (I recently raised it up)? Otherwise, I can place it on the island rock next to it.

On the topic of on the sand, are chalices and scolys okay to leave on the sand?

Yes. It all really depends on how much your sand bed gets disturbed. I have a bunch of diggers so I always try to elevate everything off the sand bed. Generally, though - if the coral is healthy and growing - it's probably fine where it is.

 

[testuser]

Yes. It all really depends on how much your sand bed gets disturbed. I have a bunch of diggers so I always try to elevate everything off the sand bed. Generally, though - if the coral is healthy and growing - it's probably fine where it is.

Good stuff, thanks again!

 

[testuser]

This is definitely receding, now on the upper side. Thoughts? I just realized that my tank's temperature was way warmer than expected, being 84 F. Could that be a factor? I am now trying to get that under control.

 

[testuser]

Bump. Thoughts?

 

[testuser]

Bump. Thoughts?

Any thoughts on what this red stuff on the acan is in the side? Is it coraline or is it infected with something?

 

[zaddy]

Any thoughts on what this red stuff on the acan is in the side? Is it coraline or is it infected with something?

how are the other corals doing? what light are u using? what size tank and how long has it been running? answers to these are key. about the coraline, if you notice it glows/ is fluorescent like a coral then it is coralline. if not then cyano. coraline fluoreces slightly, particularly the pink bits

 

[ZoWhat]

My Acans were receding and on the brink of checking out permanently....

I then by chance started dosing Reef Energy AB+ amino acids and they fully rebounded. Nice and fleshy again.

Acans really need a good supply of Amino Acids to remain healthy

 

[testuser]

how are the other corals doing? what light are u using? what size tank and how long has it been running? answers to these are key. about the coraline, if you notice it glows/ is fluorescent like a coral then it is coralline. if not then cyano. coraline fluoreces slightly, particularly the pink bits

The rest of my tank (4.8g) for the most part is doing fine as far as I can tell, and growing new heads, etc. Everything as far as water chemistry is balanced as well since I've finally determined the right schedule for dosing.

And you're right, since it's also on the sand beneath it, it is cyano. Is it necessary to remove the cyano from the acan? Could that contribute to the receding? I've seen it for a long time now.

 

[testuser]

My Acans were receding and on the brink of checking out permanently....

I then by chance started dosing Reef Energy AB+ amino acids and they fully rebounded. Nice and fleshy again.

Acans really need a good supply of Amino Acids to remain healthy

Is there a way to measure how much is in the tank currently? Does it benefit all other corals as well? It's just a bummer that only this guy (and maybe the chalice) are having a rough time.

 

[testuser]

Is there a way to measure how much is in the tank currently? Does it benefit all other corals as well? It's just a bummer that only this guy (and maybe the chalice) are having a rough time.

Ohhhh, this is just a food supplement? I've been spot feeding the acan with LPS pellets and spot feeding the corals in general with reef roids. Would this contain the same nutrition?

 

[Lokipsl]

Any thoughts on what this red stuff on the acan is in the side? Is it coraline or is it infected with something?

I had some micromussa colonies that receded leaving behind a bright purple skeleton. It definitely wasn’t coraline as it was underneath the decaying tissue. My guess is that is bacterial. If you have chemi clean on hand, give the frag a good bath in it.

 

[testuser]

I had some micromussa colonies that receded leaving behind a bright purple skeleton. It definitely wasn’t coraline as it was underneath the decaying tissue. My guess is that is bacterial. If you have chemi clean on hand, give the frag a good bath in it.

I'm starting to think that the cyano and the sand started to bother it. I blew away a lot of the cyano and noticed some of the skeleton was weak and unfortunately partially falling off. I put it on a slightly elevated rock just to get it away from the sand completely. Hopefully that makes a difference.

 

[zaddy]

The rest of my tank (4.8g) for the most part is doing fine as far as I can tell, and growing new heads, etc. Everything as far as water chemistry is balanced as well since I've finally determined the right schedule for dosing.

And you're right, since it's also on the sand beneath it, it is cyano. Is it necessary to remove the cyano from the acan? Could that contribute to the receding? I've seen it for a long time now.

cyano isnt a big deal dont worry about it. im guessing the tank is under 6 months and if this is the case the recession is probably nothing your fault, just that some corals don’t do well regardless of how hard you try, simply attributed to tank immaturity. P.S., for a 4.8 gallon tank dosing is not only unnecessary but detrimental- stick to water changes. even if your tank is packed to the brim, at 4.8 gallons, high nutrient will become a problem FAR before lack of nutrients become a problem, and thus the water change you would perform for the nitrates / phosphates would cover “dosing” WAYYYY before you would even need to dose. all dosing is doing is you messing up the tanks natural organic balance and hindering its development. i made this mistake too when i started out. anyways happy reefing and best of luck! i have a nano tank i started recently as well id u wanna check it out the instagram is @dorri_reef

 

[testuser]

cyano isnt a big deal dont worry about it. im guessing the tank is under 6 months and if this is the case the recession is probably nothing your fault, just that some corals don’t do well regardless of how hard you try, simply attributed to tank immaturity. P.S., for a 4.8 gallon tank dosing is not only unnecessary but detrimental- stick to water changes. even if your tank is packed to the brim, at 4.8 gallons, high nutrient will become a problem FAR before lack of nutrients become a problem, and thus the water change you would perform for the nitrates / phosphates would cover “dosing” WAYYYY before you would even need to dose. all dosing is doing is you messing up the tanks natural organic balance and hindering its development. i made this mistake too when i started out. anyways happy reefing and best of luck! i have a nano tank i started recently as well id u wanna check it out the instagram is @dorri_reef

My issue has been that my alkalinity, even post water changes, has been exceedingly low, as well as undetectable nitrates and phosphates. After I started dosing, my micromussa looked far healthier, and the zoas, micromussa, and favia all started growing additional heads. Prior to that, it was struggling at best. I am pretty sure (and others suggested this in the thread), that I lost my Duncan due to those undetectable levels. I do feed a good bit, but it was always undetectable levels of nitrates and phosphates with my Salifert kits.

I do wonder why the alkalinity tanks so quickly though. Calcium dips pretty quick during the week prior to water changes, but I imagine that's due to all of the growth for the LPS ones I mentioned before.

 

[zaddy]

My issue has been that my alkalinity, even post water changes, has been exceedingly low, as well as undetectable nitrates and phosphates. After I started dosing, my micromussa looked far healthier, and the zoas, micromussa, and favia all started growing additional heads. Prior to that, it was struggling at best. I am pretty sure (and others suggested this in the thread), that I lost my Duncan due to those undetectable levels. I do feed a good bit, but it was always undetectable levels of nitrates and phosphates with my Salifert kits.

I do wonder why the alkalinity tanks so quickly though. Calcium dips pretty quick during the week prior to water changes, but I imagine that's due to all of the growth for the LPS ones I mentioned before.

it is IMPOSSIBLE that

My issue has been that my alkalinity, even post water changes, has been exceedingly low, as well as undetectable nitrates and phosphates. After I started dosing, my micromussa looked far healthier, and the zoas, micromussa, and favia all started growing additional heads. Prior to that, it was struggling at best. I am pretty sure (and others suggested this in the thread), that I lost my Duncan due to those undetectable levels. I do feed a good bit, but it was always undetectable levels of nitrates and phosphates with my Salifert kits.

I do wonder why the alkalinity tanks so quickly though. Calcium dips pretty quick during the week prior to water changes, but I imagine that's due to all of the growth for the LPS ones I mentioned before.

gonna be straight up with you bro,

dosing in a 4.8 gallon is counterintuitive, not my opinion, but its a consensus in the hobby.

if youre unhappy with low alk levels the salt youre using is most likely designed to be at a low alk. changing that is how you can raise alk levels, rather than artificially buffing it up which will disrupt so many other natural processes, amplified in a 4.8 gallon pico.

remember this “nothing in this hobby ever happens by not doing something, - but by doing something” , (unnecessary dosing being a prime example)

acans and duncans are two of the easiest corals and if they are dying then that should be a loud indication that something you are adding to the tank is messing it up,

happy reefing