Acan

[Mr. Softy]

Six months ago i picked up a 20 head Acan and recently it appeared to be out growing its skeleton. Tonight about an hour after the lights went out i noticed that it dropped at least three of the heads that grew outside of the main colony. Also noticed that the rest of the colonies heads were taking turns puffing out some kind of smoke. Is this typical reproduction? Attached is a picture of the colony. Anyone have this type? Name?

 

[TOTAL AQUARIUMS]

Can't really make a positive visual ID of these without a skeletal analysis. If I had to put a name to it I would have to guess it's a A. Lordhowensis. They don't "outgrow" their skeleton. The flesh can expand and contract depending on different stimuli. Excess polyp expansion beyond what you would consider normal can mean a few things. Polyps will over expand if they are not receiving enough light thus expanding their surface area to capture more light. They can swell when spawning, like you observed, from the gametes contained within and probably water in order to pressurize and propel the mass into the water column. As for the polyps that fell off, I know pocillopora is well known for what's called "polyp bailout". The colony will release a few polyps as a reproductive process or as a self preservation tactic if it encounters a situation it feels threatened by. Your situation seems normal, I wouldn't worry about it. The coral seems happy.

 

[Mr. Softy]

Thanks for the help TA. Acans are new to me. This one was given to me with a bulk purchase of misc. corals. Funny you mention stimuli, because i had given the tank a shot of elements earlier that morning. I'm wondering if it has done this before and i never noticed. The dropped heads were barely visable, they landed a few inches from the back of the tank. I managed to fish them out with a little MacGyvering. Had to get them before my goby did, he has a tendency to grab anything lose on the bottom and make it part of his burrow. I peeked through the rocks the other day and saw that the goby had a couple of blue shroom shutters on his house. Maybe he has a acan back porch.

 

[KathyC]

Had to get them before my goby did, he has a tendency to grab anything lose on the bottom and make it part of his burrow. I peeked through the rocks the other day and saw that the goby had a couple of blue shroom shutters on his house. Maybe he has a acan back porch.

:lol2:
My bluespot jawfish does the same..currently has a nice red worm rock as a front porch..until he moves again and rearranges anything he can get his fins on...lol