In order to provide your Acan Coral with a healthy diet, you will need to know what to feed it. There are several options available for this type of coral, such as dissolved organics, nitrates, and phosphorus. If you are unsure of which food is right for your tank, read this article to learn more. It will also explain why dissolved organics are better for Acan Corals.
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Food for acan coral
Providing adequate nutrition for acan coral is essential to maintain its healthy behavior. Acans eat a variety of foods, including shrimp, zooplankton, copepods, and other live corals. They also accept commercial foods. It is important to target feed acans at least twice a week. If you do not have time to do this, you can also use freeze-dried food pellets.
Depending on the size of your tank, you can feed your acans in targeted feedings. By using a funnel, liquid food can be squirted into the extended tentacles of your acan. Acan Corals need a moderate water movement to help disperse food and generate flow through their tentacles. High water flow can be a problem as it buffets coral polyps and inhibits their ability to capture food.
Nitrates
A can coral’s preferred nutrient ratio is about one to ten parts per million (ppm) of nitrate. The same ratio applies to phosphates, which should be about one part per hundred parts of nitrate. While a high nitrate level is bad for reef tanks, a low-nitrate concentration may improve the colors of the coral. In addition, too high a nitrate level may cause nuisance algae to proliferate and can even lead to illness among fish.
Acan Corals prefer a pH level of 8.2 to 8.5, and should be placed near the bottom of the tank to allow them to acclimate. Calcium and magnesium levels should be maintained between 360 and 450 ppm for optimum growth. Acan Corals are susceptible to nipping, and they can close up their polyps for long periods in response to a nip. To minimize the stress of an Acan Coral, you should only keep them with reef-safe fish.
Phosphates
Aside from fish food, you can use a combination of these two methods to reduce the amount of phosphates in your aquarium. Algae, which is a natural source of phosphate, can help filter out the phosphates in water. Adding a Refugium to your aquarium is one of the easiest ways to reduce phosphates. You can also grow macro-algae in your Refugium to reduce the amount of phosphates and nitrates that the algae produce.
Acans thrive when the pH is between 8.2 and 8.4 and are sensitive to fluctuating water parameters. They grow fastest when they have a constant calcium and magnesium content, but are not immune to phosphate levels. Changing the water pH regularly and removing any phosphate supplements can help restore optimal water conditions. Phosphates should be removed within a week of acan coral growth.
Dissolved organics
Dissolved organics are the primary nutrition requirement for Acanthastrea, which do best in aquariums with a nitrate level of 5ppm or less. The Acan coral’s cells contain symbiotic algae known as zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae produce sugars needed for coral growth and are responsible for the coral’s color and fluorescence. Acan corals need around 5ppm of nitrate in their water column, but too much will stunt their growth.
If you plan to keep an Acan coral as a reef plant, you must make sure that it receives a high enough amount of dissolved organics to survive. You can easily provide your Acan coral with dissolved organics by adding a few tablespoons of this nutrient to your tank once a week. You should also add dissolved organics to your tank to keep it healthy and vibrant.
Placement
Despite its hardiness, the Acan Coral should be handled carefully. Even though they are a hardy coral, they secrete toxins when threatened, and you don’t want them to suffer. Here are some guidelines to follow when handling acan coral:
Avoid placing acans in an area of high water flow. High water flow can kill coral. Move them to a location with lower water flow. Acans come in many colors and types. The Australian Lord Acan is the most popular, with its bright colors. There are also many other types of acan coral available, so check out the internet to find one that suits your aquarium and preferences. If you are unsure of where to place an Acan, remember that there are no hard and fast rules!
