Questions for the Acanthastrea experts!

[Bullet Reef]

I was under the impression that the frag I have is an echinata but someone suggested it might be a hillae. I have tried researching and looking at lots of pics of both but I see some of each that look like mine and look the same as each other and I can't seem to find anything anywhere that explains the difference between the two.

Also, this whole thing began because I have a little garden of acans and have always been under the impression that they can be in close proximity and don't sting each other. I have moved things around a little bit and had to squeeze things closer together and I noticed a few days ago that an acan I've had for months is receding and has skeleton showing. I'm not entirely sure but I am thinking it may be a micromussa. The only thing next to it that wasn't that close before is the frag I was asking about above. I wouldn't think it is the culprit but there it's absolutely nothing else around it so it is making me question things.

Can an acan echinata or hillae sting another acan? And if my injured frag is in fact a micromussa, would that make any difference?

Thank you

Here are a few pics

 

[rsav]

I am not an expert but I own a lot of acans. I would say that it is an enchinata.

 

[rsav]

I am not an expert but I own a lot of acans. I would say that it is an enchinata.

 

[reefer5168]

the one on top is an echinata.i belive the difrents is that echinatas wont puff like acans and the skelleton is harder

 

[staindsoul]

I swear I have read in a couple different threads, bullet, that a echinata will sting other acans and that it is more aggressive than lords.

 

[MBIETZ]

echinatas will sting other acan you can only keep the same type of acan together like acan lords are fine if they touch each other, but echinatas are pretty aggressive i wouldn't put a echinata next to anything also some people will say that they can all touch but it is not true sometimes they will go months with no aggression shown then one night bam one of your prize acan are gone. so if you want a "garden" of acan then just keep one kind per area i am no expert but i have dealt with acan for awhile

 

[Bullet Reef]

echinatas will sting other acan you can only keep the same type of acan together like acan lords are fine if they touch each other, but echinatas are pretty aggressive i wouldn't put a echinata next to anything also some people will say that they can all touch but it is not true sometimes they will go months with no aggression shown then one night bam one of your prize acan are gone. so if you want a "garden" of acan then just keep one kind per area i am no expert but i have dealt with acan for awhile

Thank you everyone for your input.

MBIETZ, I have heard, also, that echinatas will sting other acans.... only recently, though.... and I have asked a bunch of experienced reefers and they've all told me that it isn't true and you can put all varieties of acans together.... however, my experience is telling me different.

Nobody has addressed the difference in echinatas and hillaes.... I know the difference in lords.... but am confused about the difference in hillae and echinata.

Thanks again!

 

[staindsoul]

Google yielded some things,

Here is some info, on the acan family. It came from a member here from another site. The link was blocked, here is the text from there.


Acanthastrea Hillae
Acanthastrea hillae have large polyps approximately 1" across.
They require moderate water currents and lighting provided by metal halides to maintain their color.
It is important that proper calcium and alkalinity levels are maintained. Use of Kalkwasser Mix or a calcium reactor will be of great benefit.
Place the Acanthastrea Hillae on an exposed rock along the top half of the aquarium where currents will be able to supply it with necessary nutrients and trace elements.
Supplement its diet with the addition of trace elements, marine snow, phytoplankton, and food for filter feeders.
Care Level: 1 (Easy)
Lighting Requirements: Moderate Metal Halides or T5
Best placement seems to indicate the bottom of the tank.
Water Flow: Moderate
Aggressiveness: Peaceful
Range: Australia
Family: Mussidae
Water Conditions: 74-80° F; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4; dKH 8-12

Doesn't tell a whole lot of difference, seems the polyp heads and mouths are larger than echinatas.

 

[Bullet Reef]

Google yielded some things,

Here is some info, on the acan family. It came from a member here from another site. The link was blocked, here is the text from there.


Acanthastrea Hillae
Acanthastrea hillae have large polyps approximately 1" across.
They require moderate water currents and lighting provided by metal halides to maintain their color.
It is important that proper calcium and alkalinity levels are maintained. Use of Kalkwasser Mix or a calcium reactor will be of great benefit.
Place the Acanthastrea Hillae on an exposed rock along the top half of the aquarium where currents will be able to supply it with necessary nutrients and trace elements.
Supplement its diet with the addition of trace elements, marine snow, phytoplankton, and food for filter feeders.
Care Level: 1 (Easy)
Lighting Requirements: Moderate Metal Halides or T5
Best placement seems to indicate the bottom of the tank.
Water Flow: Moderate
Aggressiveness: Peaceful
Range: Australia
Family: Mussidae
Water Conditions: 74-80° F; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4; dKH 8-12

Doesn't tell a whole lot of difference, seems the polyp heads and mouths are larger than echinatas.

Thanks staind! That's helpful... basically it seems to me that the main differences that would distinguish a hillae from an echinata is that the hillae requires stronger lighting and the polyps are a little larger than the echinata.... does that sound about right to you???

 

[MBIETZ]

Ya a lot of people have said they keep them together i feel its like a game of Russian roulette just a few weeks ago someone on here had the same problem an echinata almost killed his lord even tho they had been there for a few months. I have an echinata that will try to kill anything within a 4"+ radius not with sweepers but it will expel its guts trying to digest what ever it can get to.