Duncan coral problems

T

Tjsmoot

New member
I got a duncan coral from live aquaria awhile ago. I have been fighting a battle trying to keep it alive. I originally had it midway up the tank in moderate flow. Throughout the first week and a half, it opened up but the slowly opened less often until it would rarely ever open. I moved it lower in the tank with less flow about 3 weeks after having it, hoping it would open up. Since then it seemed to barely come out but not past it's skeleton. Now it will never open. I am trying to control some algae I have, but I recently got a new protein skimmer to help with that. All other corals are doing fine, and there are no corals close enough to sting it. Besides the algae problem, all my levels are fine except I have high calcium.

Thanks in advance
 
Have you tried feeding him some mysis or brine shrimp? I usually spot feed mine 2-3 times a week, its worth a shot.
 
Mine took awhile to settle in. What lights you running and tank size? if hes were other lps are doing well hes good. They prefer lower light or mine does.
 
I have not tried feeding it yet, but will try that tonight. I am running AI Sol LED Lights at about 40% of their maximum intensity. The tank is a 47 gallon hexagon by Oceanic that I bought used. Good to know I'm not the only one with a duncan coral that had trouble settling in.
 
I tried feeding my duncan earlier tonight but got no response out of it. After having the duncan in one spot with no luck for a few weeks, I decided to move it down to the sand bed in even less flow and light. Hopefully I can get some type of response from it and find a good place that it likes
 
Clowns

Clowns

My clowns almost immediately hosted to my Duncan's. So they rarely opened for the first few weeks. Was difficult to pinpoint because when the Duncan's were closed up the clowns paid no attention to them.
 
Tjsmoot said:
I got a duncan coral from live aquaria awhile ago. I have been fighting a battle trying to keep it alive. I originally had it midway up the tank in moderate flow. Throughout the first week and a half, it opened up but the slowly opened less often until it would rarely ever open. I moved it lower in the tank with less flow about 3 weeks after having it, hoping it would open up. Since then it seemed to barely come out but not past it's skeleton. Now it will never open. I am trying to control some algae I have, but I recently got a new protein skimmer to help with that. All other corals are doing fine, and there are no corals close enough to sting it. Besides the algae problem, all my levels are fine except I have high calcium.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

What type of fish do you have in your tank. Any possible nippers? sometimes you may have a fish good in your tank and then as you add something new they start to pick. What about hermits? I removed all hermits from my tank along with coral banded shrimp for the same reasons.
 
I have mine on the sand bed with low flow and low light. As someone has already suggested, I also target feed mine with mysis. Sometimes cyclopeeze and oyster feast as well. Good luck!
 
I have a huge Duncan that I have had for five years sometimes It would go through stages where it wouldn't open for a week but keep it where it is at and just keep an eye on it. Try to feed it every now and then and if you see algae growing on it try to blow it off so the coral doesn't suffocate from it. I hope it turns around for you keep us posted
 
I have no fish that would harass the coral. I have a pair of the typical ocellaris clowns that host my hammer(I have never seen them try to host the duncan or even go near it), a bangaii cardinal, bicolor blenny, and a yellow banded possum wrasse. I used to have hermits but all have been gone for a few months now. I will continue to try feeding it and keep you guys posted
 
Mine is halfway up in my tank with reef breeders led at about 40% and low flow, I had started the lights at 25% when I got him.
 
Good news! The duncan coral opened up halfway today after I moved it to the sand bed on Saturday. I expect it to get used to its new location and hopefully open up fully in the next few days
 
Glad it's starting to open up for you next time try to spot feed it when it's open for you I take a two liter pop bottle and cut the top part off and place it over the corals this way the fish and other little guys can't take the food from the coral while it's eating. But it sounds like it's turning around glad to hear that
 
harobikes1988 said:
Glad it's starting to open up for you next time try to spot feed it when it's open for you I take a two liter pop bottle and cut the top part off and place it over the corals this way the fish and other little guys can't take the food from the coral while it's eating. But it sounds like it's turning around glad to hear that
Click to expand...

I'm glad it's turning around too. I did the same thing when I tried to spot feed it the first time. My shrimp tried to steal the food so I cut the top off a water bottle and placed it overtop of it. Next time it opens up I'll try to feed it before it closes.
 
harobikes1988 said:
Glad it's starting to open up for you next time try to spot feed it when it's open for you I take a two liter pop bottle and cut the top part off and place it over the corals this way the fish and other little guys can't take the food from the coral while it's eating. But it sounds like it's turning around glad to hear that
Click to expand...

I'm glad it's turning around too. I did the same thing when I tried to spot feed it the first time. My shrimp tried to steal the food so I cut the top off a water bottle and placed it overtop of it. Next time it opens up I'll try to feed it before it closes.
 
Mines on the sand bed too... Do these grow on their own or do they incrust on rock?
Bought mine with three heads last year, hasn't grown taller, but has 40+ heads now
 
Yea I have delt with the fish and other guys stealing food from my corals so I always use the bottle tops when spot feeding. Mxman they grow on there own they will split off into more heads kind of like a ball shape that's how mine is it's over 50 heads
 
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