Duncan Behavior

TetoCCB · Jan 4, 2017

I've had my BioCube14 established for just over one year. I've had this duncan for almost a year and it has grown from one polyp to seven. Any ideas as to what's going on with it, now? The original polyp in the center is gaping and the center polyp tentacles are disappearing. Is this part of the growth process or is there something seriously wrong?

Bunnee911 · Jan 4, 2017

Hmmm /puts fingers in mouth and whistles for the #reefsquad

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 4, 2017

Whoa! I wouldn't put my hand in the tank bout now

.

melypr1985 · Jan 4, 2017

That's weird alright, but a pretty cool growth pattern. Not sure what's going on there. What are you parameters? Alk, Ca, Mg ect ect.

Sabellafella · Jan 4, 2017

TetoCCB said:
I've had my BioCube14 established for just over one year. I've had this duncan for almost a year and it has grown from one polyp to seven. Any ideas as to what's going on with it, now? The original polyp in the center is gaping and the center polyp tentacles are disappearing. Is this part of the growth process or is there something seriously wrong?

Lol agree growth pattern is pretty neat! As for the mouth gaping, not sure. Sometimes with euphyllia, this phenomenon would occur, later resulting in a split between mouths. The other heads imo look fine.

TetoCCB · Jan 4, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
Whoa! I wouldn't put my hand in the tank bout now.

Yeah... At this point, the bottom of the polyp is visible...

TetoCCB · Jan 4, 2017

melypr1985 said:
That's weird alright, but a pretty cool growth pattern. Not sure what's going on there. What are you parameters? Alk, Ca, Mg ect ect.

Parameters are good... Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates are 0 (plenty of hair algae)... Ca: 400, Alk: 8.2, Mg: 1340...

TetoCCB · Jan 4, 2017

Sabellafella said:
Lol agree growth pattern is pretty neat! As for the mouth gaping, not sure. Sometimes with euphyllia, this phenomenon would occur, later resulting in a split between mouths. The other heads imo look fine.

This one is my pride and joy... a split would be awesome!...

Today, the opening is larger and the tentacles on the center polyp appear to have been resorbed...

SaltySue · Jan 5, 2017

Bunnee911 said:
Hmmm /puts fingers in mouth and whistles for the #reefsquad

Ha,ha!

TetoCCB · Jan 5, 2017

Update:

LetItReef · Jan 5, 2017

Cool pattern there! Are you feeding it?

TetoCCB · Jan 5, 2017

LetItReef said:
Cool pattern there! Are you feeding it?

Not any more... I was feeding it mysis shrimp until after it budded...

Bruce Burnett · Jan 5, 2017

Weird growth. Where is it in the tank, how much flow and lighting. Can you get it to close up so you can see the skeletal growth. I have two Duncans high in the tank with lots of flow and light. They are about 2 years old started with 2 heads each and both are over 50 heads. They will close up sometimes for a day or two and sometimes 2-5 times a day and other days it never closes. Watch for pest and make sure everything stays stable

TetoCCB · Jan 5, 2017

Bruce Burnett said:
Weird growth. Where is it in the tank, how much flow and lighting. Can you get it to close up so you can see the skeletal growth. I have two Duncans high in the tank with lots of flow and light. They are about 2 years old started with 2 heads each and both are over 50 heads. They will close up sometimes for a day or two and sometimes 2-5 times a day and other days it never closes. Watch for pest and make sure everything stays stable

It's on a rock in the lower half of the tank under Current USA LEDs (replaced the BioCube14 compact fluorescents) with moderate, alternating flow (2 Jebao PP-4s)...

When it closes, the skeleton is not visible... just the gummy looking tissue as seen in the pics above...

How did your polyps multiply?... Budding or splitting?... Mine grew six buds around the original polyp...

Bruce Burnett · Jan 5, 2017

TetoCCB said:
It's on a rock in the lower half of the tank under Current USA LEDs (replaced the BioCube14 compact fluorescents) with moderate, alternating flow (2 Jebao PP-4s)...

When it closes, the skeleton is not visible... just the gummy looking tissue as seen in the pics above...

How did your polyps multiply?... Budding or splitting?... Mine grew six buds around the original polyp...

budding never seen them split. Duncans are usually pretty hardy so if it goes 4 days without changing and all the other heads keep looking fine I would not worry. Watch for pest and fish that maybe bothering it. I had a matted file fish that bothered my cup coral and the duncans but nothing else.

TetoCCB · Jan 7, 2017

I'm going to isolate it and try a dip, this weekend...

CenlaReefer · Jan 7, 2017

That is a cool, very neat growth pattern. I have never seen a duncan grow that uniform before. My impression is that the colony may be splitting, yet I have never heard of that happening with duncans.