ARC Fireworks may come in small packages, but these corals are not meant for beginners. From a specific feeding scenario and water levels to maintaining particular lighting parameters to achieve the best color quality, arc Fireworks should only be placed in the tank of an expert.
Unlike many other Acropora hard corals, arc Fireworks are slower to grow which means they typically last longer so being able to take care of them is that much more essential to their survival.
Feeding
The first hurdle of taking care of your arc Fireworks is the feeding pattern. While the actual timetable of feeding is relatively simple, the precision of the surrounding factors is what proves to be the real challenge.
Before you drop any food in, make sure to turn off the return and circulation pumps because they’ll carry away the food before your arc Fireworks have a chance to eat. Once a week, drop in some zooplankton for a healthy Acropora coral.
Your other options are phytoplankton or some organic form of protein and amino acids. One important note is that your tank needs to have dissolved or small organic matter in the water at all times.
This is because arc Fireworks acro and other Acropora corals feed at night through a photosynthetic method by eating what floats up. Watch for a lack of growth or polyps not forming, because that will mean your feeding habits need to change.
Lighting
When it comes to lighting your tank for the ARC Fireworks, you should follow the rule of at least 3 watts per gallon. Considering that arc Fireworks do best in an aquarium of at least 100 gallons, your minimum wattage should be 300 watts.
The lamps themselves can be LEDs, though metal halides have proven to be one of the most effective lights for Acropora coral. Assuming that you want your arc Fireworks to have the best coloration possible, you might want to use a color spectrum between 14 and 20,000.
Very Specific Water
The second, and possibly largest challenge of keeping arc Fireworks Acropora in your tank is the specificity of the water. Both the actual flow of the water and the chemical and nutrient balance within can mean the difference between a healthy coral and a dead one.
Water Flow In Your Reef Tank
When you first place an Acropora coral into your tank, have the water flow at medium turbulence. The arc Fireworks have to be allowed to get accustomed to the new surroundings, but once they do turn up the water flow to a higher current.
Arc fireworks acro are used to a heavy flow in the wild because it brings their food to them and removes their waste. If the flow is too low, it can lead to your coral acquiring a disease or dying.
Because of this, make sure you place your arc Fireworks on a rock or higher surface to give them the best location for water flow and a direct place under the lights. The lack of either one can stress your coral to death, literally.
What’s in the Water?
In regards to water, arc Firework corals are one of the pickiest corals out there. For your Acropora to thrive, you should do a 5 percent change of water once per week. You can get away with 10 percent every other week if you need to, though.
Either way, you need to monitor the elements of the water carefully. ARC firework acro need water that’s low in nitrates and has no phosphates present. While these won’t kill your coral, it will make growth difficult.
For the best results, you’ll want to keep your calcium around 450, strontium at 10, and your magnesium at 1400 or a little over. Remember that magnesium is a source of calcium in the water, so check the magnesium before adding any calcium.
Calcium is responsible for the growth of your Arc Fireworks, so if you notice a failure of growth or the polyps aren’t forming, those are good indicators that your calcium or magnesium levels need to be adjusted.
What Can Live With Them?
ARC Fireworks aren’t aggressive coral and are relatively good with other small polyp hard corals, but you do have to be careful. If your corals aren’t at least 10 inches apart, the Fireworks might begin to feed on the other corals.
However, there are two things that should never accompany your arc Fireworks: Crabs and large polyp stony corals. Crabs will destroy and eat your Acropora due to their opportunistic feeding habits.
Large polyp stony corals are more aggressive toward small polyp hard corals, like the arc Fireworks, and will feed on them until the corals die. Knowing how expensive and how much effort they take, you might not want your Fireworks to be eaten by a mistake.
Susceptibility
Keep in mind that your arc Firework acropora can take up to 6 months from being put in the tank to fully regain their rate of growth. That’s because they’re one of the most easily-stressed corals in existence, so you need to be careful and exact.
It’s true that too little light or water flow can kill them, but once you put them in a tank you shouldn’t move them. This can also cause them to stress and die. Of course, that’s not the end of your concerns.
Acropora corals have a phenomenon that a new one in the tank can stress all of them and kill the entire tank in a matter of hours. The best way to avoid this situation is to have all of your Acropora and place them in the tank at the same time. Just know where you want them to go.
Diseases
The other half of arc Fireworks’ susceptibility is their low tolerance to diseases. The most common disease that Acropora corals get is Rapid Tissue Necrosis or the loss of flesh that can be caused by practically anything in their case.
The best answer when you notice this is to frag the coral behind where you see the necrosis taking place, thus saving the rest of your arc Fireworks.
Brown Jelly and other bacterial infections can be treated with powdered antibiotics that are brushed onto your coral in the tank. The other common disease that can affect arc Fireworks and other Acropora corals is bleaching.
The bad news is that bleaching can once again be caused by anything and will alter the pigment of your arc Fireworks, so it can be harder to notice. Your arc Fireworks are most susceptible to other diseases when bleaching occurs.
The silver lining is that they have a 50 percent chance to completely heal on their own.
References:
- Keeping Acropora Corals, animal-world.com https://animal-world.com/Aquarium-Coral-Reefs/Keeping-Acropora-Corals
- How to Care for Acropora Corals by Myreef Team https://myreef.aquariumdepot.com/how-to-care-for-acropora-corals
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