help with my duncans..

[beeguiles]

I bought two Duncan frags at a frag swap on Saturday and they still haven't opened up. I first placed them on the bottom in the sand for a few days to adjust to the light and they didn't open. Then I placed them in their hopefully perm. Spots with med flow and med light. And they still haven't opened. They look like they want to but just won't inflate themselves back up. They looked beautiful and healthy at the store so idk what the deal is. I thought these guys were easy corals. Here's a couple pics. Sorry they are cruddy pics. I have just fed the tank microvert and its a little cloudy. All other corals are well...except orange gorgonian who's polyps aren't extending..but all other corals are good. Weekly water changes and all parameters are in check. Do they just need more time?

 

[Waddi]

My guess would be more acclimation time needed to light, or the flow is too strong for them, either way it doesnt hurt to put them in a low flow spot on the bottom for a few days and see how they fair.

 

[little_fish]

they dont look that bad to me, normally a coral that is pissed off is all tightly withdrawn

 

[Smitty]

I agree with lil fish...they're still acclimating to your tank more than likely. Hand feed them something meaty and watch them bad boys open up for you. :)

 

[beeguiles]

Okay guys! Sometimes I think I worry too much, Haha. I'll try to feed them and give them some more time. I want them to look beautiful again! Lol

 

[DAvis]

Hey B,
I got a Duncan at the frag sale 2 years ago. It was two polyps but it wasn't mounted on anything. I was unintentionally brutal with it. I kept placing it on a rock and knocking it over dozens of times, before I got the courage to glue it (first LPS and nervous about handling!). Despite my efforts, it lived and is thriving at about softball size, some polyps extending over 2". Yours, I'm sure will acclimate. They are tough birds, but when they open... :)

Oh yeah, I would feed mine, but I stopped as it was growing sooo fast!

 

[beeguiles]

Davis that's awesome! I glad yours has done so well for you. I guess I started getting nervous about them not opening bc all my other corals have opened up right away for me. So it was a little strange to me. But I guess they just need some more time. I got them as space fillers. They sway and add a little color. Thought they would be perfect! I cent wait till mine open up all the way.

 

[Marines_Wife]

From my experience, the more you move them (intentionally or otherwise) the more pissed off they are. I think they are mad they ever got moved and then twice more in your tank. Leave them be and they will stop PMSing long enough for you to enjoy their beauty :)

 

[beeguiles]

Yea they got moved a total of two times. From the store to my tank and from the sandbed to their perm. Spots. I'll give them another week and see what happens.

 

[DAvis]

Acclimation is a funny thing too... I had no problem with my Duncan when I got it from the Frag sale 2 yrs ago, despite my 10 thumbs with it. I found it upside down a couple of times! Then a year later I moved it from my 29 to my 65 (Yay!). The conditions were near identical and the switch was easy. But when I upgraded my lamps, the Duncan didn't open for 3 days, even though I moved it to the bottom of the tank (gently!). It will open before you know it!

 

[Jmck]

Just let him run, mine go withdrawn when pissed, your are just a little stressed so I wouldnt worry.

but feed them meaty items and watch them multiplate, they are one of the faster growing corals in our tank when fed.

 

[photokaty]

It's sad, but funny because my duncan got detached from it's rock and so we kept trying to wedge it between rocks and what-not. After MULTIPLE failed attempts, falling upside down in the sand, we finally reef glued him to a rock and now he is bigger than ever! He was our only coral that survived when randomly all of our coral died a few months ago. He was all black and you could see his skeleton. And then one day he started re-growing and now he is a good golf ball size. Love him!

 

[beeguiles]

It's sad, but funny because my duncan got detached from it's rock and so we kept trying to wedge it between rocks and what-not. After MULTIPLE failed attempts, falling upside down in the sand, we finally reef glued him to a rock and now he is bigger than ever! He was our only coral that survived when randomly all of our coral died a few months ago. He was all black and you could see his skeleton. And then one day he started re-growing and now he is a good golf ball size. Love him!

Wow that's awesome that he grew back for you!

 

[JustinsReefTank]

MY buddy has one and he feeds his a variety of meaty foods with a turkey baster right on them. THey love it. His started with 1 head and in the past three months has a total of 4 heads. So just give'em some time.. They will be fine

 

[photokaty]

MY buddy has one and he feeds his a variety of meaty foods with a turkey baster right on them. THey love it. His started with 1 head and in the past three months has a total of 4 heads. So just give'em some time.. They will be fine

I spot feed mine with my turkey baster almost every day. It's also fun just to watch them close up around the food. :)

 

[little_fish]

If i could only get my money to multiply like my duncans.