Duncan coral questions

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

Hey so I recently got this duncan coral (first coral) from the LFS, I asked then to QT him for me and when got home did a basic pest check, removed the frag and glued him into the display tank. The question is he's closed up most of the day but when I get home from work he tends to open up. The reason I believe is because my lights are programmed to lower until they shut off. When the lights on on full throughout the day he isn't open and when they lower he does. Anyone have any recommendations to what I should keep my lights at? I currently have 1 ai prime 16hd. Will get another soon.

xxkenny90xx · Feb 28, 2021

How far away from the coral is the light? It sounds like you are giving it too much light during the day. Duncans are very temperamental

EvanDeVita · Feb 28, 2021

you could simply move the coral lower in the tank. Also please take picture in white lights, its impossible to see anything with pure blues.

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

The coral about 2 feet from the light and it's the only coral in the aquarium so I would rather adjust the lights than the location of the coral

EvanDeVita · Feb 28, 2021

Proffo55or said:
The coral about 2 feet from the light and it's the only coral in the aquarium so I would rather adjust the lights than the location of the coral

Can u send a full tank shiot? what kind of tank is it, what are the dimensions?

Spare time · Feb 28, 2021

Duncans can be closed for a while. They really don't like changes so it makes sense if it is closed up for you if you just got it. You light is not too bright (in fact its dimmer than I recommend given that 2ft MAX par with all channels at 100% is 100 in the center).

Just keep good water quality, alk and calcium, the right flow, light, and it should be fine. You can always try some aminos if you'd like.

Bridgerdean · Feb 28, 2021

+1 on the aminos. I added some to my tank and my Duncans really opened up. Mine are on the bottom of my tank, under partial shade. I would drop you lights by half.

ReeferLou · Feb 28, 2021

Is it normal for them to shrink to where the skeleton shows? Mine shrink and close occasionally but don't recall seeing the base like that.

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

The coral is on the right island in front of the aquarium bottom rock. I'm getting mixed messages, some say increase the light others say lower it.

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

I have a 40 breeder with a 10 gallon sump

Spare time · Feb 28, 2021

Proffo55or said:
The coral is on the right island in front of the aquarium bottom rock. I'm getting mixed messages, some say increase the light others say lower it.

I can guarantee you it isn't getting too much light.

CollectOyster04 · Feb 28, 2021

Take what I say with a grain of salt, but it may have more to do than just your light. Almost shocked nobody asked yet because usually it's one of the first questions asked.
How long has the tank been going ? Rock work looks like an extremely newly setup tank. Do you have any fish ? Couldn't see any in your pics, just curious. Have you had your parameters checked ? Not saying you need to be dosing anything, but if this is your first coral in the tank, you want to make sure the water is ready for that. Plausible something could be off (alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrates, phosphates). These things can make a duncan (any hard coral) cranky.
When you say it opens up when lights go down, does it look the way it did at the LFS, or opens just a little ? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but that Duncan is looking rough. You would want to see some tissue around the rim of the skeleton when the heads are retracted. Duncans can tolerate all kinds of light(low to high). In my experience it's one of the other things that becomes the problem.

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

The tank has been running for about 3 months now, it's cycled, just checked all the water and I have low ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. Around 0pmm. I got a few snails in there and a pair of baby clowns. I also have a peppermint shrimp. The Duncan would open all the way, I can see the mouth of both heads and it's happily waking around, also feed it ever 2 days. (Had it for 5 days) it would just take the food and such it all in. I haven't doused for anything and was going to go to the store to get some aminos and other things to have.

Proffo55or · Feb 28, 2021

Temp is a 74.6
Salinity is sitting at 1.24

ZX6Reef · Feb 28, 2021

Temp is a bit low - I run mine at 78.

JosephM · Feb 28, 2021

I had the same issue. Came overnight arrive Friday morning. It was closed tight, couldn’t see any of its ‘tentacles’. That night it came out a little, then the next morning it was closed tight. Let it be and the next couple days now it’s mostly open during day and night. I think most of the time as others have said it’s just temperamental and needs to be left alone unless you think it’s dying

xxkenny90xx · Feb 28, 2021

Proffo55or said:
The tank has been running for about 3 months now, it's cycled, just checked all the water and I have low ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. Around 0pmm. I got a few snails in there and a pair of baby clowns. I also have a peppermint shrimp. The Duncan would open all the way, I can see the mouth of both heads and it's happily waking around, also feed it ever 2 days. (Had it for 5 days) it would just take the food and such it all in. I haven't doused for anything and was going to go to the store to get some aminos and other things to have.

Ammonia should be 0. Nitrate should not be 0. What do you mean it has been walking around? That's a new one for me!