Acan Echinata: How fast does it grow?

[HingleMcCringleberry]

Thinking of buying a decent sized colony of Acan Echinata on sale at my LFS. Does anyone know how fast this coral grows? With/without feeding? Is it hard to care for?  

 

Basically any advice? Is it ok for someone with beginner to moderate experience with corals? (I’ve been keeping Monty Cap trumpets and frogspawn successfully for a few months)

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

1 hour ago, HingleMcCringleberry said:

Thinking of buying a decent sized colony of Acan Echinata on sale at my LFS. Does anyone know how fast this coral grows? With/without feeding? Is it hard to care for?  

 

Basically any advice? Is it ok for someone with beginner to moderate experience with corals? (I’ve been keeping Monty Cap trumpets and frogspawn successfully for a few months)

I have one and it grows on the slower side. Be super careful where you put it though, it's a mean bitch lol. I didn't know this until after I put it in the tank. Just make sure you leave room between it and anything else.

 

edit: google it and see some of the stories and pics, it's fascinating

[Clown79]

My favia and enchinata grew slowly whereas my acan lords grew quickly

[burtbollinger]

Very slow.  Very aggressive.  Give it 5”

 

IMO skip it and have fun with more and less agressive corals.

[HingleMcCringleberry]

2 hours ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

I have one and it grows on the slower side. Be super careful where you put it though, it's a mean bitch lol. I didn't know this until after I put it in the tank. Just make sure you leave room between it and anything else.

 

edit: google it and see some of the stories and pics, it's fascinating

 

1 hour ago, burtbollinger said:

Very slow.  Very aggressive.  Give it 5”

 

IMO skip it and have fun with more and less agressive corals.

Can the sweepers reach below the coral. Like can I make more room for myself by placing it above other corals nearer the top of the tank but on the side so it doesn’t get so much direct light?

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, burtbollinger said:

Very slow.  Very aggressive.  Give it 5”

 

IMO skip it and have fun with more and less agressive corals.

Definitely aggressive. I had 1 tiny frag take out another coral overnight.

[Clown79]

7 minutes ago, HingleMcCringleberry said:

 

Can the sweepers reach below the coral. Like can I make more room for myself by placing it above other corals nearer the top of the tank but on the side so it doesn’t get so much direct light?

It doesn't like direct or strong light.

I fried 2 under an AI prime and it was at the bottom of the tank.

 

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

15 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

It doesn't like direct or strong light.

I fried 2 under an AI prime and it was at the bottom of the tank.

 

 

Alright. Sounds like a pass on that Echinata colony. Not enough room in my tank. But you and others say acans Lords grow fast. But also tons of people say they don’t. Ive also heard it depends on the strain of Acan lord. Any advice on how to find faster growing acans? I know feeding helps.

[burtbollinger]

1 hour ago, HingleMcCringleberry said:

Alright. Sounds like a pass on that Echinata colony. Not enough room in my tank. But you and others say acans Lords grow fast. But also tons of people say they don’t. Ive also heard it depends on the strain of Acan lord. Any advice on how to find faster growing acans? I know feeding helps.

they dont grow fast...they grow fast from one or two large heads...into one or two large heads with tons of babies along the side.  then depending on the acan, those babies can take a year or more to fill out, IME.  

I'd never be concerned about any acan growing too fast.  if you check my acan area, these guys were added in with around 2 heads per...and its taken 20+ months to get where they are...and they could use another 12 months to get to where I want them...all mashed up like a solid mass, sorta.

free advice...buy small cheap acans, and let them grow in...toss a few next to eachother and just let it play out over time....everything should semi-mash together within 24 months or so.  my 2 cents is with my lighting, i can drop 60 bucks on a beautiful head, only to watch it change into what looks like a 15 dollar a head piece.  YMMV.  start with some nice, inexpensive red ones or something and see how they do....then move on with more.