Something dining on my Duncan?

[chytownprincess]

Hey everyone. I have an issue with my little Duncan. It hadn't been open in a few weeks. I tested everything numerous times. The parameters are consistent. Calcium 440, kh 10, pH 8.3, magnesium 1460, nitrate 0.10, phosphate 0.01, ammonia/nitrite 0. I do 10-20% water changes every 7-10 days. It is a mixed reef 46g bf. It has about 58# of live rock, and about a 3 1/2 inch sand bed. Fish housed are ocellaris clown, Darwin clown, Bangii cardinal, shark nose goby, and a watchman goby. Dwarf hermit crabs: 3blue leg, 2mexican red leg, and 2 scarlet. I have snails unknown amount of cerith and up to 5 Tonga nassarius. The SPs (ponape, Monti cap, and pink birdsnest), euphyllia (branch and wall hammer ), plays, ZOA,favites, acans, capnella, candy canes, ricordea, GSP, actinodiscus shrooms, and a neon toadstool appear to be happy and are growing well. This morning I moved the rock the Duncan is sitting on slightly and saw a hole in its side (please see PIC). What the hell did this???

"Hmmmm, gas and car insurance, or a war paint Scoly? I am walking home with my coral! "~Tattooed Nurse

 

[Moort82]

Hard to tell from the picture (as can't see if it is a whole that goes back to the skeleton or if there is tissue inside) but it looks like a new head is forming and not being munched. They for around the edges under the other polyps so when they are out you probably won't see them. You can get several heads for all around it.
If you look closely you can make out the ring edge of the new polyp growing.

Ime Duncan can sulk for a while when they first go in but alkalinity stability is the key to keeping them happy. Yours are deep water Duncan so need acclimation to higher light before they thrive.

 

[homer1475]

Looks like a new head forming to too, but the pic is a bit blurry.

 

[chytownprincess]

Hard to tell from the picture (as can't see if it is a whole that goes back to the skeleton or if there is tissue inside) but it looks like a new head is forming and not being munched. They for around the edges under the other polyps so when they are out you probably won't see them. You can get several heads for all around it.
If you look closely you can make out the ring edge of the new polyp growing.

Ime Duncan can sulk for a while when they first go in but alkalinity stability is the key to keeping them happy. Yours are deep water Duncan so need acclimation to higher light before they thrive.

Thank you..

"Hmmmm, gas and car insurance, or a war paint Scoly? I am walking home with my coral! "~Tattooed Nurse

 

[chytownprincess]

Looks like a new head forming to too, but the pic is a bit blurry.

Thank you

"Hmmmm, gas and car insurance, or a war paint Scoly? I am walking home with my coral! "~Tattooed Nurse

 

[ssick92]

I have to disagree with the others... I haven't had a duncan in a while, but mine always formed new heads at the rim of the current head. Yours looks a lot lower on the base, and looks to be going in, not out like a new head would be doing.

My guess would be that one of your fish had a snack, but if it isn't getting worse it might have been a 1 time deal. Maybe try to get a better photo?

 

[Moort82]

I have to disagree with the others... I haven't had a duncan in a while, but mine always formed new heads at the rim of the current head. Yours looks a lot lower on the base, and looks to be going in, not out like a new head would be doing.

My guess would be that one of your fish had a snack, but if it isn't getting worse it might have been a 1 time deal. Maybe try to get a better photo?

It's the same place that mine are growing new heads. Also if you Google duncan coral new head you see similar results in the images. I think it looks lower down as the head is deflated.

 

[Buzz1329]

Are there any emerald Mithrax crabs in your tank? If so, based on IME, they may be the culprits.

Mike