Description

🪸 Description

Acan echinata is a species of Large Polyp Stony (LPS) coral with a more encrusting and sometimes spiky appearance compared to other Acanthastrea species (like Acan lordhowensis). It typically forms low, plate-like colonies with smaller, more closely spaced polyps.

Key Characteristics:

• Polyp Type: Smaller and less fleshy than Acan lords.
• Growth Form: Encrusting to plating, with a rigid, stony base.
• Coloration: Can be extremely vibrant — electric orange, green, blue, red, or multicolored with high contrast patterns.
• Aggression: Highly aggressive with potent sweepers (can reach several inches).

🧪 Tank Requirements

💡 Lighting Tips

• Handles moderate to higher light better than Acan lords.
• Can shift coloration under different lighting (blues enhance fluorescence).
• Acclimate slowly to high PAR to avoid bleaching.

🌊 Flow Requirements

• Enjoys moderate to strong flow to keep its surface clean.
• Avoid direct laminar flow — use random or gyre-style circulation.

🍽️ Feeding

While less reactive than other Acans, Acan echinata can benefit from feeding:

• Target foods: Reef-Roids, Coral Frenzy, finely chopped meaty foods.
• Feeding frequency: Once or twice a week if growth/color enhancement is desired.
• Polyps may not extend visibly, but feeding response can still occur.

🧼 Care & Placement

• Space them out: Very aggressive — can easily kill nearby corals, even larger LPS.
• Best placed on rock islands or low substrate with space around it.
• Fragging: Easy — use a diamond band saw or coral cutter along skeleton ridges.

⚠️ Common Issues

✅ Summary