Thinking of getting into acans i really like the look of them. But i have no experience with them.
I saw a few on frag plugs at my LFS just some standard red/white or red/blue nothing overly cool (im not that lucky to find ANYTHING cool around me)

Should they be put onto the sandbed and let them grow their skeleton? Or should they be put on a rock to let them take over the rock?

I have a 40b with Nova Extreme Pro 6x39 t5's with 1650gph flow

You could go either way. I've got em all over my tank, sand, rock, etc.

Anything i should know about what trace elements they would deplete in the tank? Maybe supplements i should add or test kits i need to make sure they are getting what they need?
Or should weekly water changes be fine?

I need to check out your tank!
You dont frag them and sell do you?

It's hard to say because I have a lot of types of corals in my tank. Weekly water changes should suffice, just make sure you're keeping an eye on your levels including magnesium.

Not fragging currently, but soon!

Do me a favor and put me down for some acans, dont forget about me when you start to frag them!
The amount of corals you have is mind blowing, god i hate where i live!

They will need Calcium (Ca) and Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) to grow their skeletons. They will need Ca at or above 380 and CaCO3 (Alkalinity or dKh) between 8-10. If their tentacles are extended and they are inflated that means they are happy and healthy.

If you feed them 2-3 times per week and your water conditions/lighting is good then you should get 2-4 heads of growth a month from them. They grow like weeds in the wild by the way. I feed mine (when I feed them and I have stopped due to too much growth) Salifert high engery pellets because its what I feed my fish and I can target feed with a eye dropper.

Remember they are corals that do eat and will eat whatever they can get their tentacles on so keep that in mind. I have had acan's actually eat a bubble tip anemone as well as other corals that I thought for sure would kill them. Today I had to pull a snail out of one of my rainbow heads because it was trying to eat the snail... Shell and all.

they do enjoy a good meal

Just keep your levels of Calcium, Alk, and Mag within the normal range. I feed mine directly with PE mysis and indirectly via adding cyclop-eeze to the tank. They start to show really nice growth if you keep up with them.

Acans > other corals.

Any tips on feeding? Drop pellets onto their mouth or hold mysis real close and let the tentacles grab it?

I use a small syringe and spot feed a very small amount of mysis/cyclops. Sometimes mine pull the food in right away, other times it lays there for a little. If the cleaner shrimp doesnt find it first

Yup.

Doesn't matter, they'll vacuum it up as long as they can get it. Very 'healthy' eaters (when they are healthy).

I use a turkeybaster with a cube of mysis in it. They tear it up.

I feed mine formula one pellets...they seem happy...

Ok so i just fed some acans and micromussa some very small slivers of silversides (had to feed the nems thought i would give it a shot).

They tore them up! In about 3-5 minutes the pieces of silversides were gone.

Now the question. Do Acan and Micro colonies share food amongst themselves? I didnt feed every head of the 3 colonies, but i fed 2 or 3 on each. Does this benefit the whole colony? Or just that particular head? I personally FEEL like it benefits the whole colony, but would like a confirmation on that.
It would take me forever to feed all of the heads and fight off poachers (two clowns, and cleaner shrimp)

that's a very interesting question, I've been thinking that myself...

any answers anyone?

Well Acans are nice on the sandbed and the rocks, just get them adjusted to your lights slowly if you put em on your rocks,
at the store our Acans get flake mysis a micture of vitamins flakes etc just get a turkey baster and spray towards the tentacles and your g2g, GO BUY SOME ACANS

I've also always wondered if scolys and acans etc share.

Acans spread by budding or lateral extension. Since they bud I'm assuming that feeding one polyp will help the whole colony. However, I'm no expert, so I could be completely wrong.

Each has their own nutrients. I'm almost positive.

well they reproduce asexually. they don't reproduce by fission, like anemones. they reproduce from budding-a parent polyp develops a small growth, or bud, that eventually becomes it's own separate individual. HTH!

probably depends on which acan, I have an acan enchinata, it probably does share. Scolys will eat if directly fed you can pile brine or mysis on top and watch them close up on it. I do notice my acans growing a LOT faster when I feed.

I would think so, 1 single head will sprout and feed 4-6 more at once if happy, so they all must be connected. At least I tell myself this, thered be no way to feed my 70+ head colony individually. Just spray and pray haha.

They are very easy. i guess you could monitor your calcium levels or whatever, but just do water changes and stop trying to be master of the universe and they'll be fine. I feed mine when I feel like it, which is infrequently. I have had them for six months and have never measured calcium, for anything, yet somehow they continue to survive and grow.


Also they ship very well. Mine came in frigid water that had mostly leaked from the bag...hours later they were happy.