Acanthastrea, Acans, where how and why not

[music man]

I have been surfing arround the web and decided that if there is one must have for a reef tank it's an acan (Acanthastrea ) if you will.

I can't seem to find any great info on them such as what is the actual water flow requirements and the lighting requirements,

Are there different classes of acans or are they basically all just different phases.

Does anyone collect them and if so where are they comming from, all I can seem to find are $200.00+. I'm talking USD here not pesos, or is that the price you pay for something so unique.:bugout:


I have read conflicting opinions on lighting one stating that a halide can actually damage them and another that lack of halides can damage them. one article says put them at the top of the reef and another saying it's necessary to have them deep.

I have seen the opinion that they need a strong direct current and another that says a moderate current. I believe the opinion stays the same on the eating but what I want is some real information on these corals.

Look at these how could you not want one?

:explode:

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Very nice looking corals indeed.... One of my favorites too... I only have 2 small colonies in my tank but want more. I will be following this thread as well...

 

[Charlie97L]

they're that $$ because acan. lord. is the "in" coral to have right now, for some reason. i never know how these trends get started. that second pic is actually a candy cane or blasto, which aren't nearly as expensive... and while that last one is an acan, it's not the red/green/white morph (first pic) that started all this craziness.

the problem is is that someone on some board somewhere will ask a ridiculous price, then someone will actually pay it, and that becomes the established price for it. i don't think they are that rare or anything, just a fad.

like 99.00 for one ric polyp? that's disgusting. I'd maybe pay 60 for one of those multicolored red ones, but 99.00 is ridiculous.

they are available all over the place online. i'd watch for someone fragging one on RC or N-R.com if you really want one, and don't want to spend 200 for a colony.

the fad thing is even borne by you with this being a "must have" coral, in your opinion. i mean, yeah it's pretty, but you know 150.00 of that is profit to whoever is selling them. that's a high markup.

as to teh flow requirements, i've seen med flow, med/high light. tigahboy on NR has kept them very successfully under t5s and halides with moderate flow.

 

[mps9506]

the fad thing is even borne by you with this being a "must have" coral, in your opinion. i mean, yeah it's pretty, but you know 150.00 of that is profit to whoever is selling them. that's a high markup.

FWIW that isn't totally true. Your retailer is not making $150 off an a. lord. General wholesale prices I've seen start in the 100-150 range and go as high as $300. A. echinata colonies are usually in the $45 range for something otehr than cream or brown.

I personally don't think there is very high mark up in the high end corals on the part of retailers. However I don't know how much the collectors are getting paid by the transhippers for these things, so maybe there is a big markup there. But either way if your retailer is getting these colonies from transhippers or wholesalers, there isn't a huge amount of markup imo.

 

[Charlie97L]

FWIW that isn't totally true. Your retailer is not making $150 off an a. lord. General wholesale prices I've seen start in the 100-150 range and go as high as $300. A. echinata colonies are usually in the $45 range for something otehr than cream or brown.

I personally don't think there is very high mark up in the high end corals on the part of retailers. However I don't know how much the collectors are getting paid by the transhippers for these things, so maybe there is a big markup there. But either way if your retailer is getting these colonies from transhippers or wholesalers, there isn't a huge amount of markup imo.

thanks for the clarification. i was just guesstimating.

 

[music man]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/ebac/index.php

I found this article while looking for more info and it almost makes me want to cry. :cry1:

it sheds some light on the price and yep I guess its not a must have just yet.

I think I might acquire a few and see if I can get some frags going, then I will give them away cheap cheap, just cause I can. but that will be a year or so away.

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Some of those prices are just crazy... but a beautiful coral they are... I have 2 and actually may have a 3rd coming, nothing near those prices though