Duncan flesh coming off skeleton. Help

[TheAsian0328]

So my Duncan looks like it's coming off the skeleton and the hole keeps getting bigger. Think I have it to high of a flow area or is it some sort of infection? It acts and eats like normal and water perimeters are nothing out of the ordinary. Any thoughts?

 

[Quah]

I would move it to a low flow / low light area and not spot feed it. What do you feed it? What else is in the tank with it? It doesn't look infected - yet.

 

[TheAsian0328]

I would move it to a low flow / low light area and not spot feed it. What do you feed it? What else is in the tank with it? It doesn't look infected - yet.

Spot feeding reef roids with brine shrimp and Misys shrimp. I'll move it to a low flow and low light area and see what happens. Have a few acan colonies, two bta's, very small mushroom, war coral, torch coral, zoa's, pulsating zinnias, and a Kenyan tree. Both softies are on opposite sides of the tank.

 

[Quah]

You don't have any shrimp / crabs? I'd say you can continue feeding it reef roids but wait a bit and I wouldn't do larger particle foods until it heals. It takes corals time and energy to digest those larger particles.

 

[TheAsian0328]

You don't have any shrimp / crabs? I'd say you can continue feeding it reef roids but wait a bit and I wouldn't do larger particle foods until it heals. It takes corals time and energy to digest those larger particles.

No shrimp. One emerald crab but I've never seen him on it or other corals. He stays on the sand bed and bottoms of the rocks mostly. I adjusted the flow so now it's not so turbulent.

 

[WetWhistle]

I have seen the polyp ball out when they have new growth at the base. I see three smaller ones so the main head could be pinching off so the new growth has a chance. I would however move it down to the substrate with good but not strong flow. Just in case the tissue has to strong of flow and it is being sheared off. I would feed it detritus and stir a little up from your substrate. That will be more nutrient rich then most foods and it can dissolve through the tissue easier. Eating small food have less overhead for energy needs for processing then larger food items do. So you waste less and maintain feeding longer so you get more nutrition.

 

[TheAsian0328]

I have seen the polyp ball out when they have new growth at the base. I see three smaller ones so the main head could be pinching off so the new growth has a chance. I would however move it down to the substrate with good but not strong flow. Just in case the tissue has to strong of flow and it is being sheared off. I would feed it detritus and stir a little up from your substrate. That will be more nutrient rich then most foods and it can dissolve through the tissue easier. Eating small food have less overhead for energy needs for processing then larger food items do. So you waste less and maintain feeding longer so you get more nutrition.

Thank you for the tip. I'll move it down and see what that dose. Maybe it will pop off for the new heads to take over.

 

[WetWhistle]

Keep an eye of for it if it does. I have super glued the run away head to a rock once with success so it is worth a try. If it is polyp ballout the coral will release chemicals that will make the tissue sticky so it can attach itself to the rocks and begin to rebuild a new skeleton. If you add a little dab of glue it could help the process. You could also try repairing the torn tissue by taking the frag out and dabbing some glue on it. I have done that a few times as well. Flip side if it really wants to let go it will anyway. I keep my duncans on my substrate as this is the only spot that mine will do well.

 

[Salty1962]

To much flow. Mine don't like allot of flow on them.

 

[TheAsian0328]

Move the Duncan to the sand bed and seems to be doing better. Not as open as normal but still looking good. Thank you everyone for all the good advice.

 

[Adele]

Move the Duncan to the sand bed and seems to be doing better. Not as open as normal but still looking good. Thank you everyone for all the good advice.

Hi. I know this is a couple years old but how did your Duncan turn out. I am facing the exact same problem and lost half of my two head Duncan and it’s now affecting the other larger and growing head. It’s just a matter of time before it’s done for. Did moving yours to the sandbed save it? Thanks