Duncan Growth Question

henryhahn · Dec 23, 2016

LOVE my duncan!
It has gained a good bit of size since the day I picked it up. I do directly feed it mysis, so it stays happy and healthy. (I love when it bulges out to swallow them down)
I am wondering how they begin to branch out. The base of this is nice and solid green, and the head has become so tremendous that I cannot see it budding another head below.
While I'm at it, I'm wondering if there is anything else I should be looking for as well?

cowboy · Dec 23, 2016

Fortunately they do grow rather fast atleast mine does. when it gets ready to start shooting out growth you will see smaller head start forming around the skeleton at the top of the skeleton from there they will start branching out.

dragon99 · Dec 23, 2016

Here's mine when it put out new heads.

henryhahn · Dec 23, 2016

dragon99 said:
Here's mine when it put out new heads.

Awesome! I will keep an eye out.
Any advice about taking it off the plug? I was thinking I'd leave it on, but I imagine it will eventually be top-heavy

Garrett W. · Dec 23, 2016

Mine started as a single head and has grown quickly to 20+ heads in about 2 years time. it even lived through a tank crash lol. But Dragons picture nails perfectly how you will start to see new head growth.

Garrett W. · Dec 23, 2016

henryhahn said:
Awesome! I will keep an eye out.
Any advice about taking it off the plug? I was thinking I'd leave it on, but I imagine it will eventually be top-heavy

I kept mine on the plug so it wouldnt fall over and gives me something to put glue on, as opposed to glue on the stalk directly.

dragon99 · Dec 23, 2016

Mine hadn't encrusted to the plug yet so I popped it of and glued it to my rock.

henryhahn · Dec 23, 2016

Garrett W. said:
I kept mine on the plug so it wouldnt fall over and gives me something to put glue on, as opposed to glue on the stalk directly.

What do you glue on it?

I was thinking I would have to find something that I can support it with. I have the one that is a disk with a post on the bottom. I know it's down the line thinking, but I figure there's something I can put that plug into when it gets bigger and then just bury it in the sand. I have seen some in the LFS that are these massive stalks with these huge heads that fish host in. It looks like yours are like that, Garrett.

Garrett W. · Dec 24, 2016

henryhahn said:
What do you glue on it?

I was thinking I would have to find something that I can support it with. I have the one that is a disk with a post on the bottom. I know it's down the line thinking, but I figure there's something I can put that plug into when it gets bigger and then just bury it in the sand. I have seen some in the LFS that are these massive stalks with these huge heads that fish host in. It looks like yours are like that, Garrett.

Mine came as a single head already partially encrusted to the disk from my LFS. You could always use a larger diameter disk without the plug for better stability. I do that for all SPS frags i make so they can have a large base and ability to stalk.

BlueCursor · Dec 27, 2016

Feed it twice a week and it will grow. Eventually, you will stop feeding it because it is growing too much. I had 3 heads when I bought mine. I was watching my slow growing corals NOT growing and before I knew it I had 9 heads on my Duncan. It went from 3 heads to 16 heads in less than a year. Now I rarely feed it because I can't afford to have it grow much more.

dragon99 · Dec 27, 2016

BlueCursor said:
Feed it twice a week and it will grow. Eventually, you will stop feeding it because it is growing too much. I had 3 heads when I bought mine. I was watching my slow growing corals NOT growing and before I knew it I had 9 heads on my Duncan. It went from 3 heads to 16 heads in less than a year. Now I rarely feed it because I can't afford to have it grow much more.

Yea, mine went from 1 head to 5 heads in just 3 months. I've only fed it a few times, usually it fends for itself.

ReeferMaddness843 · Dec 27, 2016

I started with 3-4 heads about 8 months ago. Now have what almost looks like a torch it's so full. Ha. I spot feed occasionally and broadcast most of the time. Seems to do well.

Garrett W. · Dec 27, 2016

Mine went from one head to 25+ in less than two years. I've stopped feeding it directly cause it just won't stop.

henryhahn · Dec 27, 2016

Garrett W. said:
Mine came as a single head already partially encrusted to the disk from my LFS. You could always use a larger diameter disk without the plug for better stability. I do that for all SPS frags i make so they can have a large base and ability to stalk.

Not sure what you mean by this?
Do you mean I should cut the post off the bottom, and glue the disc to a a larger disc? -Very new to this...please forgive

henryhahn · Dec 27, 2016

BlueCursor said:
Feed it twice a week and it will grow. Eventually, you will stop feeding it because it is growing too much. I had 3 heads when I bought mine. I was watching my slow growing corals NOT growing and before I knew it I had 9 heads on my Duncan. It went from 3 heads to 16 heads in less than a year. Now I rarely feed it because I can't afford to have it grow much more.

Haha... that is neat. I feed it daily for now. Hopefully, it'll stay happy