Is it normal for Duncan corals to not fully inflate

[Tripod1404]

Hello, I have a duncan coral that I have been caring for a about a year. It was really small when I fist got it, now it has one big head and one small head that budded from the big one about 3 months ago. The small head is almost always fully open and inflated but large head goes into periods (that can last for days) where it will not completely inflate. Just to be clear, it is fully open but not fully inflated. A friend of mine said they do this when the new bud starts to get larger, in order not to shade and to give space for the new bud to grow. Is this true?

 

[organism]

It's not uncommon when they're splitting, imo as long as the head keeps opening you should be good.

 

[Mark9]

You've had it for a year and have just 1 bud of a new head?
I'd check your lights, water parameters, something.
That's like almost zero growth.
I got a 2 header 14 months ago, it probably has 30 heads today.

 

[TauntingBeef]

yea I have one that is 6 months old started with 2 heads now has at least 12

 

[kurt_n]

...A friend of mine said they do this when the new bud starts to get larger, in order not to shade and to give space for the new bud to grow. Is this true?

I seriously doubt that's true. If it was, my monster duncan would be partially closed all the time making way for new heads!

But they do close up from time to time for a few days at a time. I've assumed it's a conservation of energy thing as they go into a growth spurt, but that just me assuming.

Agree with others though... if you've had it for a year and just 3 months ago got the first new head, something could definitely be better. Where do you have it placed, and under what kind of lighting?

 

[Cautioncones]

Mine would do the same thing, it even closed up for a week and didn't come out at all, then sprouted out of nowhere.