What's the average growth rate of LPS/Duncan/Hammer/Zoa's?

[phyber]

I've had my tank running ~8 months, stocked with corals for ~2 months.

I have stocked it with one colony of each:
-duncans
-torch
-pulsing xenia
-several mushrooms
-finger leather
-zoanthids

I do bi-weekly water changes of 20%, measure and record all water parameters weekly. all readings have been in ideal/above ideal ranges. I also dose with Kent Coral Vite and Strontium + Moly.

My corals respond well to my t5's; extend like crazy in the day, shrink at night.

But I'm not noticing much growth. My xenia's are the only ones showing me any progress; they develop new "heads" almost daily near the trunk of their base.

I was under the impression the mushrooms and zoanthids would multiply like crazy...was I misinformed?

 

[kingfisher62]

Ah , ya kinda in the wrong forum for the duncans, hammers and torch corals being that they are LPS's.

Xenia can be very fast growers almost to the point of weeds and the same can be said about mushrooms at times. Finger leather are the next fastest growers then zoanthids. At least that is how it has been for me. Although different tank conditions will grow diffrerent corals at different rates. Ya never really know what is just going to take off in your tank.

For some reason I never had a lot of luck long term for zoa's.

My duncans are one of my fastest growing LPS's you should be noticing little heads budding at the base of the each polyp. feeding meaty foods such as mysis shrimp will speed things up usually but mine grow fine with light alone.

 

[kingfisher62]

Branching hammer will grow faster than wall hammers in my opinion.
I also recommend Candy canes AKA Trumpets They were one of my first LPS's and the most prolific of all my LPS's. Well that was before I got my Duncans.

can't vouch for the torches since I have never had one

 

[rogersb]

I've only got one torch with 2 heads and after a year and a half I believe it is forming a second head. Very slow grow for me. I have to agree about the duncans. They are very fast growing LPS.

 

[BluespotLady]

different zoas do different things. The more colorful ones are typically slower growers. The larger palys grow faster than my small zoas. They usually take a few months to adapt to a new tank, once they are good and happy, they start to grow.

Xenia is a good indicator of a healthy tank, so you are on the right track.

 

[StephLionfish]

Duncans are my fav... Mine pops out many heads a month.... so far it's grown 6 in 30 days ... It grows faster than my GSP!

 

[kingfisher62]

Duncans are my fav... Mine pops out many heads a month.... so far it's grown 6 in 30 days ... It grows faster than my GSP!

Mine too , plus they are so easy to frag!