LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 so yesterday morning my acan lord was doing fine as it had been for the last month or two since I got it, however when I got back in the evening from helping my father half of the colonies skeleton was showing and the other parts were not extended as the usually are. I had not changed anything with the tank and tests showed that temp, ph, and salinity were all where they usually are, nitrates were a little high but not so high that I thought they would cause a problem at 10-15 ppm. I will get pictures if anyone needs some and I am thinking of doing a 20% water change today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Check Alk and Mag levels, and do a water change. In my experience acans do best in a clean tank so I would say nitrates are probably too high. Is there anything (leather, etc.) that could be causing chemical warfare? What you are describing is tissue recession rather than bleaching (bleaching = tissue is losing coloration, rather than that it is not puffed up) so I would look for any corals that are nearby and could be stinging at night, like euphyllias, favias, etc. Water change, check levels, and move other corals away as necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 There is nothing within a couple inches of the acan and the closest things are gsp and zoas. Calcium and alkalinity were in sped when I checked it earlier but I will check again today. I will do a 20% water change this afternoon I just need to work mixing water and doing the change around a phone interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I've had problems with acans and euphyllias when adding too much GFO. They seem to be more sensitive to PO4 drops than SPS. If you recently changed out and PO4 media, that could be a problem. Otherwise, too much lighting would be the only other time I've seen them stress like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 No gfo or other phospate reducers, I don't even have a skimmer yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Look real close and see if there are no pests on the frag plug that might be stinging it? Hydroids might be hard to spot for example Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 I have not added anything to the tank since the acan, so unless they have a crazy dormancy period I can't really see pests being the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 It's not necessarily the case that they just showed up in the tank, but it might be that they just recently got close to the acan after some period of time in the tank. I agree, it's probably not what is going on, but its always good to eliminate pests as a possible cause of a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 LPS like mag in my experience, I would check that parameter. You mentioned alk and calc but not mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 My magnesium is usually high at around 1500 ppm but I will add it to the list of things to check this afternoon. I looked and did not see any obvious pests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Reefer Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 If it is retraction where you can see skeletal tissue around a viable head(s) just note that Acans always retract when they are reproducing new heads. I've watched them do this for years. So take a close look around the edge of the colony and see if you can spot any new nubs coming out. Don't go looking to making any changes based on retraction for a couple of days. A picture in this case would help to determine if they are retracted, bleaching or experiencing tissue loss. Andre' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 It is definitely retraction not bleaching and there are certainly heads around the edge that are not as retracted so perhaps it is just making a new head. I did not know they retracted when expanding as this is my first foray with acans. I will take a picture this afternoon when the lights come on and post it. I will go ahead and check calc, alk, and mag and post the results but I think the new head theory sounds the most likely if there is no obvious unbalance with those parameters so I might hold off on a water change for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I would suspect something with parameters...seeing as how the setosa had some issues as well. The setosa is on the easier to care for side of SPS as well so that is my main basis for thinking something else is at play here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 The setosa has been on the way out since I got it, I had put it up on top under some pretty strong lighting and it never got a chance to succeed. The acan on the other hand has been fully extended from the get go until yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 Parameters for mag, calc, and alk are as follows Mg 1440 Calc 400 Alk 10 This fits well within the standard operating ranges of the tank and the window that they need to be in calc is a little lower than usual but not much. As you can see in the photo it is retraction not bleaching as I orignially thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Any thoughts on my acan woes? I am hoping that it is as Neon Reefer suggests and that it is the acan just splitting off a new head but I will probably still do a water change today just to be safe unless someone thinks it is premature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Any chance at a clearer picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 I will try but the prime makes take a picture somewhat difficult because of how much shimmer it put into the water. I will turn off the pumps and get one with smooth water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Do these help any? I did not want to move it but just could not get a decent picture with either camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Is there any chance your temp is spiking during the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 I sure don't think so, I am home all day and the hose stays a constant temperature. I will make sure and check it throughout the day today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 I can confirm that there are no midday temperature spikes in the aquarium. I did target feed the acan with a bit of reef chili and that got some feeding tentacles out and it is less retracted now. It does look like a head ejected its zoozanthelae so I am probably going to have to spot feed a little bit just to get it all back into tip top shape. It was suggested that I feed it something meaty so since I don't have anything that fits that bill (just the reef chili) does anyone have a suggestion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Mine will take small frozen mysis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 I am going to have to go get some. I finally took out the setosa since it was pretty much dead and so might have been contributing to the higher nitrates I was seeing, I also saw the shrimp munching on hermit crab parts so it has either molted or died but I can't see it to tell which one. To deal with the slightly elevated nitrates I did a 15% water change so hopefully when I get back tomorrow I will see a bit more improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 13, 2015 Author Share Posted September 13, 2015 Good news I got back from my trip to find the acan fully extended complete with feeding tentacles and the colour returning to the sickly head. As of this moment it almost looks like it was never sick. I am thinking that the setosa and the hermit crab died pretty close to one another and spiked the nitrates and that was what caused the issue but doing the big water change and feeding the acan a bit to kind of get it on the road to recovery got what is rapidly becoming my favorite coral back into its usual fat self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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