The marine aquarium world is full of vivid and iconic coral species that provide a rich tapestry in both vibrant colours as well as challenges for home aquarists. The Realm Acans are some of the most coveted corals around — lighting up our tanks with their bright colours, hardy nature and… For many reefing enthusiasts you still remember your first piece.
For longtime aquarists, or those just getting their toes wet in Acan care and optimisation is crucial whether you have them as single polyp heads or colonies of 50 frags that cover the whole front glass of your reef tank. In this article, we will dive deeper into what makes Realm Acans so unique, how to take care of them and why each one really should be the showpiece in a coral collection.
What Are Realm Acans?
Realm Acans or Acanhastrea is a form of LPS (Large Polyp Stony) coral. This genus of stony coral falls in the family Lobophyllia and is to be found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, from regions around Australia through Indonesia into Japan. They are soft bodied and come in deep reds or oranges to greens, blues, and purples. The name “Realm Acans” is often used by hobbyists and retailers to describe the more colourful or unique forms of Acan corals.
Acanthastrea are a genus of corals that have the cool ability to puff up their polyps adding dynamism into any reef tank due to how they look. Coral enthusiasts love these fish because of their brilliant colours and patterns, while the gorilla face is also popular for its care requirements which are moderate enough to withstand even beginner level aquarists.
The Appeal of Realm Acans
Why Realm Acans are so popular in the reef-keeping community is because of colours and patterns. Some other species of corals may exhibit softer, more subdued tones while Realm Acans get their moniker the “jewels”’ title because they are rich in colour. This is especially true of many picky SPS corals, whose bright colours may pop against rockwork or even other coral, making for a highly appealing colour contrast.
One of the other most attractive things about Realm Acans is their growth habit. The grow encrusting circularly and form huge spreading colonies on the bottom base of your reef tank. Because of their sharable manner, these corals can easily fill in spaces between other corals and are perfect for creating a more functional aquascape.
Care of Realm Acans in Saltwater Tanks
Realm Acans, although being quite a bit harder than many of the other coral species you will come across do have some specific care requirements that need to be met in order for them to thrive and continue looking glorious. Here is a closer look at some of the important factors to bear in mind when keeping Realm Acans in your reef tank.
1. Lighting
They do best in moderate to low light realms. In the wild they live in deeper waters or under overhanging branches where light levels are lower. When it comes to the aquarium, these plants prefer hiding in shady areas within direct skin of water or float on top of the tank area. Excess light can lead to a loss of colour and in severe cases even cause tissue recession.
Realm Acans will thrive under LED lights that can be adjusted accordingly on its power and spectrum. Just watch out for how they respond to the light as every coral colony might have slightly different preferences.
2. Water Flow
Provide Medium water flow for this Acan variant. They utilize gentle consistent flow to clean their polyps but they do not like strong movement because it can break or damage them. High flow areas do stress corals, and over time receiving the high water turns into a mortal yield.
Locate the Realm Acanthastrea in areas of moderate to indirect flow, coming from wavemakers or return pumps and you’ll be well on your way. They need enough flow to keep the water around them clean and oxygenated, but not so much that it messes with their natural behaviour.
3. Water Parameters
If you own Realm Acan then they require Stable Water Parameters. Just like the other corals they have created, these also need more than suitable conditions to survive and that is for them to actually flourish.
- Temperature: 75-80 °FLocalizedMessage
- Specific Gravity (Salinity): 1.025-1.026
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1250-1350 ppm
Water tests should be conducted regularly and adjustments made to keep these parameters in the range they are compatible with. They must not be subjected to sudden changes or fluctuations that would stress the corals, which in turn weaken them and often leads to loss of colour.
4. Feeding
Being photosynthetic — in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae algae they derive much of their energy from the light. But they also gain from extra feeding that can improve their growth and colour.
They eat plankton and brine shrimp, as well as specialized coral foods. While target feeding once or twice per week, especially in the evenings with their tentacles extended, can offer them important nutrients to continue growing and performing at peak efficiency.
5. Placement and Compatibility
Before adding any Realm Acan to your reef tank, it is important to consider the optimal space requirement for them and the level of compatibility among other corals in the aquarium. These tentacles are sweepers and though generally peaceful, Realm Acans will utilize them to sting nearby corals. For them to stretch out their polyps without crowding others is crucial.
Realm Acans can also be combined with other LPS and softies, however keep an eye on interaction (especially during the night where tentacles are most active). Keep them away from any aggressive corals that might outcompete or sting the Levi.
Propagation and Growth
The Realm Acans grow at a moderately fast pace in the right conditions. As it matures, they will begin to encrust an area of the substrate or rockwork with larger colonies. Reef keepers often practise propagating Realm Acans since they can trade or share fragments (small pieces of tissue from a colony) with other hobbyists.
Cut a piece of the coral carefully using a sharp blade or saw and plant them individually making sure you have part polyp & skeleton on each frag. These frags can now be glued on to another piece of rock or a coral plug using super glue gel. With even only a modest amount of care, these frags will become colonies in no time at all.
The Importance of Realm Acans in Reefs
Realm Acans are more than just eye candy; they have substantial implications on the reef tank ecosystem as a whole. They are photosynthetic creatures and they aid in oxygenating the tank as well as participating in the natural biological processes of a marine environment that help to keep good water quality.
And since they come in every colour of the rainbow and all sorts of growth patterns, this will make for a great focal point to your aquascapes bringing attention to parts of the tank. Placed in the right spots, Realm Acans can really help balance things on your reef more, as well as add to its visual interest and diversity.
Challenges and Common Issues
Realm Acans are typically a hardy coral, but years of challenges have them on the brink. Regular problems Aquarists will run into:
- Colour Fading: Due to Strong Light or Low Water Quality A bit of selective lighting and keeping their water stable can bring all those colours popping back to life.
- Tissue Recession: The same type of deterioration occurs, with receding tissue a result from some stressor (profuse flow/severe limited effect). It should be watched routinely and treated immediately to prevent tissue necrosis.
- Realm Acan Pests are just like any other coral; they may be the right snack for flatworms or nudibranch pests. Routine observation and deployment of coral dips or keeping quarantines can stop the invasion
Conclusion
Realm Acans are a stunning introduction to a reef aquarium with bright paint colours and an abruptly easy care protocol. Their compatibility with different kinds of lights, along with their hardiness makes them ideal for beginners and even advanced aquarists.
You can see Realm Acans thrive and grow in your system for years to come, so long as you give them an environment that they deserve – clean water (stable parameters)and enough practical foods. So whether you are trying to make a dramatic centrepiece in your reef tank or just adding on to another coral, Realm Acans is an easy pick. Learn about the experience of having them in your marine sanctuary by getting into, and peeking inside Realm Acans.
