My acans dont have feeder tentacles?

agoutihead

Active member
For some reason, I can not entice the feeding tentacles to come out on my acans.

I will even drop spectrum pellets on the mouth and it will slowly but surely eat a couple... but no feeding tentacles?

I also have a couple of toe nail slivers of acan flesh, they do have mouths, but still no feed tentacles that will grab food to eat.

Do the acans just not like my tank?

These are the higher end "ultras" and are all 1-2 polyps or less.

Maybe because their not developed enough?

My one rainbows finally grew a 3rd head that is the size of a pencil eraser, so I assume they are doing ok?

I have them on the bottom of the tank beneath a 250W 14k.
 
The night time is a better bet. Mine seem to know when my hand goes in the tank. They extend the polyps ready to eat :p
 
When you say "nighttime"

Do you mean actinics, or moon lights?

My actinincs are PC's but they are this new super crazy bright blue bulb (they are awesome)

I can seem them coming out at night in general, but why wouldnt they come out when I'm feeding?
 
I'm having the same issue with my Acans. I have had them for a few weeks and they have really never "plumped" up like the Acans I have seen photos of.
At first I thought it was too much light (I have 250 W MH's) being on the bottom didn't seem to do it, so I shaded them.

Now I'm thinking its too much flow so I have removed some power heads from the tank and moved them again ( I think I have actuaaly moved them too much......)

I just reduced the flow last night so I'll see how they do today.Tagging along to see if there are any other suggestions .

Im running 250 Watt Phoenix 14ks so ,we have similar lighting. You may want to try shading them.
 
Having the same problem here. Beside flow, my big sohal tang also likes to rub its belly against it causing the tenicles to retracted. (no ich ,just likes to mess with it)
 
I'm having the same inflation issue as AugustWest. Mine are in about the lowest flow area in my tank near a bubble coral that also doesn't like any strong currents but I can't get them inflate. They are near the top of the tank but in a partially shaded overhang so I don't think they are getting too much light. I was able to feed them once at night, but maybe I just need to keep trying at it.
 
I had one acan frag in a low flow area and 2 others on the sand bed. The one in low flow started to recede and I almost lost it. I moved it to the higher flow area in the sand with the other and its now doing much better. Just my experience. They are still in relatively low flow compared to the rest of my tank.
 
+1 for feeding at night or early am when the lights are out and it's dark outside. They put up / out their feeder tentacles like they're all screaming "Feed us!".

I use a mini maglite so I can see where I'm pointing my turkey baster. My acans don't like to be stabbed.

I hear they can be trained to expect food whenever you care to consistently give it to them. My issue with daytime feeding is increased food thievery by fish.

Rhizo, do you handle mysis shrimp all day or something? :lol:
 
I have an Acan frag of about 10-12 heads. I have it in a pretty heavy flow area. It plums up, and deflates every once and a while. It is usual plumped up. It has started to grow some new heads, but they aren't full yet. It definitely has tentacles, but they don't come out like my favia. I have them both near each other. And even when I target feed the both of them the Favia will put all it tentacles out, but the Acan will just grab the food and eat it. It doesn't sit there with all its tentacles out. It has done it before but very rarely. I have tried all flow possibilities, and the 1 I have now seems the best.
 
Moderate to low flow... lower light. I spot feed with a mixture of Mysis, Cyclopeeze and Brine Shrimp via a turkey baster after the lights go out, or before they come on. Feeder tentacles are always out at night, but if I squirt a little in their direction during the day, they pop right out. So far I've been spot feeding twice a week, and have been getting some crazy growth... considering I was always told Acans were "slow growers."

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.
 
I dont get it.

My buddy's acans feeders are out under a 400W 20k MH.

all of them. And he has a few different colonies and most are all still frags.

I think perhaps I have too much organics in my tank. I'm not running a skimmer, but am really thinking about doing so here shortly.
 
You never mentioned nor did anyone bring up your water. All the usual parameters (ca, alk, mag, nitrate, phosphates, ph) in order?

I have 20kK 400w MHs with supplemental T5 actinics and skim 24/7/365. My 'cans are on the bottom in light shade and moderate flow. New arrivals may take a few nights before they start "begging".
 
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