Iron Man Acan

General information

Naturally, Iron Man Acan’s are massive types of reef-building corals. They have compressed corallites with an uneven height and acute walls with thick septa and large teeth. They don’t develop columns, instead, they have a fleshy mantle that is covered by fine papillae. Their color ranges from red, purple to green and you have to take note that their corallite walls are contrasting in color.

Hobbyist usually are not offered huge colonies like the ones you see in the wild. Most of them are tank-reared and provided in one or two head colonies. They are easy to care for and handle making them the perfect choice for beginners.

You also have to look out for other factors and must stay within the range:

• Calcium: 400 – 450 ppm
• Alkalinity: 3.2 – 4.8 MEQ/L
• Phosphates: 0
• Magnesium: 1200 – 1350
• Strontium: 8 – 10
• Temperature: 76° – 83° F (24° – 28° C)
• Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.023 – 1.025

In the wild, Iron Man Acan has developed a symbiotic feeding relationship with marine algae called zooxanthellae. But in captivity, you have to feed them with nanoplankton or dissolved organics.

A mature tank is highly recommended in propagating Iron Man Acan. Fish are recommended as fish excretes nitrogen that can sustain the coral's growth.

Iron Man Acan does not need a high flow rate and intense light. Giving them moderate lighting allows the Iron Man Acan to spread their polyps thereby allowing them to feed. Too much light will cause the polyps to be retracted.

East Africa, Malaysia, north to south from Japan to New South Wales in Australia.

Except for their own kind, Iron Man Acan are aggressive towards other species. During the night, they extend their tentacles and sting nearby corals. It is recommended to observe proper spacing between Iron Man Acans and other coral species. Further, they have the tendency to be overpowered with soft corals and will die especially if soft corals outnumber the Iron Man Acans.

Iron Man Acan are purely marine. So, therefore, salinity must be maintained thoroughly at 1.023 to 1.025 specific gravity.