Acan/Micro frags and growth?

[jcm1229]

With Acan and Micro frags, will they grow their own skeleton, or should you mount them on a large flat piece of rock so that when they grow out - they spread and attach?

Any other tips?

 

[porky]

Both will grow thier own skeleton...
IME, they tend to do better when mounted to a flat rock and are able to encrust out over the flat surface.

 

[RandyO]

It takes less energy for them to encrust, so that it typically the first type of growth that you see. Once they are settled in and a little larger, they start to deposit skeleton.

This is why many tank raise Acanthastrea lordhowensis start to look like big balls. We mount them on small frag rocks. After they encrust them, they start to grow Skeleton in the original polyps in the center of the frag rock. The smaller polyps on the side take the longest to get thicker skeleton. So as the very center gets thicker, it also gets taller, eventually making a round ball.

If you have the room, mount them like porky said, on a larger flat rock.