Do acans retract when adding new heads?

I know acans can be very sensitive to water changes and can retract for a wide variety of reasons, but one of the reasons I've read is that they can retract when producing new heads.

One of my 5 acans colonies has been retracted for a few days now, although it still looks very vibrant in color and healthy all around. There is no skeleton exposure and, in fact, appears to be many new heads around the base. Is it true that they will retract when producing new heads or is that just web legend and conjecture?

 

Acans look good to me. I have some acans that are so puffy that they look almost silly while others barely puff up but they all grow the same. I wouldn't read to much into it.

 

Its possible b.Most of the time they are just recycling water.

 

Water exchange, similar to anemones and other large puffy corals.

I've never had them retract for that long though. Especially not when growing heads. Usually it's the opposite.

 

We'll have to see. They look very healthy so it's more of a curiosity than anything.

 

Well, after 3 days of being retracted, that acan finally puffed back up again today. Ah well, false alarm!