Acan Care Guide: Lords of the Reef

Why Everyone Ends Up Collecting Acans

The colour morphs are genuinely addictive. Many reefers start with a single cheap frag and end up with a growing collection within months. That's just how it goes with acans.

Quick taxonomy note: what used to be called "Acan lords" got reclassified a few years back, so they appear under both old and new names from different sellers. Most hobbyists still call them acans or acan lords regardless.

What Makes Acans Great

Colour variety is insane. Reds, oranges, blues, greens, multicolour rainbows — they're like the zoanthids of the LPS world
Hardy. They tolerate a surprising range of conditions
Respond well to feeding. They puff up and actively grab food
Grow at a satisfying pace. Not glacier-slow, not weedy-fast
Lower light friendly. They do well in spots where Euphyllia would sulk

Care Requirements

Light: Low to moderate. 50–100 PAR is ideal. Too much light and they'll bleach or lose colour. Lower rock shelves and sandbed work well.

Flow: Low to moderate and indirect. Enough to keep detritus off them, gentle enough that they can fully extend.

Water parameters: Standard reef — 8–9 dKH alk, 420–440 calcium, magnesium around 1300. Slightly elevated nitrates (5–15 ppm) actually seem to enhance colour.

Feeding: Acans are enthusiastic feeders. Reef Roids, finely chopped mysis, or small pellet food all work. Feed at night when they're most extended. Feeding regularly (2–3 times per week) noticeably speeds up growth and colour.

Placement Tips

Acans do best on flat rock surfaces or the sandbed. They grow outward by budding new heads, so give them room to expand. Keep them away from aggressive neighbours — acans aren't particularly aggressive and will lose a chemical war against torch corals or galaxea.

Common Issues

Bleaching: Usually too much light. Move them lower or add shade
Not extending: Check flow — usually too strong
Slow growth: Feed more. That's usually the answer
Brown colouration: Could be too much light, or not enough blue in the spectrum

You can browse acans from UK sellers to see the colour range available. The rainbow morphs are stunners, but even standard reds and greens pop under blue LEDs.