Duncan's don't come out....

Mattfish · 06-09-2008, 10:13 PM

We've got a fairly wide variety of corals in our tank, and all seem to be doing well except our Duncan's. They don't want to "come out". We have a 6-polyp in a high-light, higher flow area, and a 4-polyp in a slightly-less-than-high light and medium to lower flow position. Neither one shows any sign of interest, and one (in the high-light) position has been around much longer than the other, which just came in a week and a half ago.

We have a Solaris G (250W equivalent), and they get Phyto-Feast Monday, Wednesday , Friday.

Alk 10-11, pH 8.2-8.3, Ca 480, Mg 1160, Nitrate 10, temp 77, SG 1.023, but Phosphate 1.0 (Reactor coming wednesday along with Hanna Photometer, but PhosBan in for a week or more with no effect yet...)

Any advice or thoughts? We also have some sun corals and their polyps come out every night (I know - not necessarily any correlation at all...) Thanks!

Nervoustime · 06-09-2008, 10:33 PM

I have my Duncan's placed towards the bottom third of the tank. IMO, they don't open up well under the bright lights. As far as flow, from my experience, they do better with moderate flow. If there is too much flow, they will stay mostly shut.

rmlevasseur · 06-09-2008, 10:41 PM

low light, low flow worked for me

Mattfish · 06-09-2008, 11:42 PM

Here's the catch I forgot to mention. Until last week, we had the older one on the floor of the tank in the sand. Still didn't open, although for most of that time, we had high Alk, low Ca, etc. But it was a low flow, low light placement....

Could it be the Phosphate and they're just especially sensitive?

rmlevasseur · 06-10-2008, 12:17 AM

Are you feeding them? They seem to be similar to some non-photosynthetic corals in that they need to be fed often. I give them small chunks of shrimp, scallop, squid, mysis, etc about every 3-4 days.

Mattfish · 06-10-2008, 12:21 AM

We would if they would come out ;-) but the tank gets mysis and brine everyday. If they poked their little polyps out, I'd be happy to make sure they got food, but they're doing this just to frustrate me obviously.....

rmlevasseur · 06-10-2008, 12:24 AM

hmm, I need a picture. My duncans shrivel and expand from time to time, but their tentacles are always out. Your referance to a "polyp" makes me wonder if you are talking about something other than a duncan. Even when they are shriveled their tentacles still hold on to food.

Mattfish · 06-10-2008, 12:40 AM

I tried getting a picture but the little camera's got dead batteries.... but honest, they're Duncan's. I may be describing it badly, but the "leafy part" won't come out of the "shoots". They were out at the two lfs we bought them both from, and when we brought them home, each one was out for a s hort while, but then won't come back out - as mentioned, the last one we got was 9 or 10 days ago, and was open and out at the lfs. Green, "fringed" at the edges, flowing in the breeze, but not here at home.... it's gotta be something in our water..... I could believe the first one's may have been damaged by high alk, although they've come part way out about 4-5 days ago, but the newer one only when it first came home.....

tbittner · 06-10-2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattfish

We've got a fairly wide variety of corals in our tank, and all seem to be doing well except our Duncan's. They don't want to "come out". We have a 6-polyp in a high-light, higher flow area, and a 4-polyp in a slightly-less-than-high light and medium to lower flow position. Neither one shows any sign of interest, and one (in the high-light) position has been around much longer than the other, which just came in a week and a half ago.

We have a Solaris G (250W equivalent), and they get Phyto-Feast Monday, Wednesday , Friday.

Alk 10-11, pH 8.2-8.3, Ca 480, Mg 1160, Nitrate 10, temp 77, SG 1.023, but Phosphate 1.0 (Reactor coming wednesday along with Hanna Photometer, but PhosBan in for a week or more with no effect yet...)

Any advice or thoughts? We also have some sun corals and their polyps come out every night (I know - not necessarily any correlation at all...) Thanks!

There is your problem. Get phosphates under .3, and everything will thrive.

AnotherLousy1 · 06-10-2008, 10:21 AM

I bought a single head duncan about 2 weeks ago and have it placed low in the tank in a rock under a overhang. Comes out everyday and in fact looks as if the skirt/tentacles are bigger and longer than when I first bought it.

I would agree to get a handle on the water quality and params first. Good luck and keep us posted

Mattfish · 06-10-2008, 11:32 AM

We'll try lower and less flow, and, as mentioned, am working on the water, but here's the big question - are Duncan's somehow MUCH more sensitive to Phosphate than any other type of coral?

We have about 18 kinds of coral, clams, and just about everything else in our tank, all flourishing. Only the Duncan's are showing signs of trouble. The only thing I can think of is that they're especially touchy, which goes against what I know of them....

06-09-2008, 10:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mattfish King of all I survey Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Duncan's don't come out.... We've got a fairly wide variety of corals in our tank, and all seem to be doing well except our Duncan's. They don't want to "come out". We have a 6-polyp in a high-light, higher flow area, and a 4-polyp in a slightly-less-than-high light and medium to lower flow position. Neither one shows any sign of interest, and one (in the high-light) position has been around much longer than the other, which just came in a week and a half ago. We have a Solaris G (250W equivalent), and they get Phyto-Feast Monday, Wednesday , Friday. Alk 10-11, pH 8.2-8.3, Ca 480, Mg 1160, Nitrate 10, temp 77, SG 1.023, but Phosphate 1.0 (Reactor coming wednesday along with Hanna Photometer, but PhosBan in for a week or more with no effect yet...) Any advice or thoughts? We also have some sun corals and their polyps come out every night (I know - not necessarily any correlation at all...) Thanks! __________________ Mike - for the Mattfish Family - Mike, Pum and Matthew the little fish "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it's real money." Sen. Sam Rayburn on the 1964 Congressional Budget, or, anyone with a tank. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." Joe Walsh on life. "Vote early, vote often." Mayor Wild Bill Thompson of Chicago on elections during the Capone era.

06-09-2008, 10:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Nervoustime Torch coral Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 513 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... I have my Duncan's placed towards the bottom third of the tank. IMO, they don't open up well under the bright lights. As far as flow, from my experience, they do better with moderate flow. If there is too much flow, they will stay mostly shut.

06-09-2008, 10:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,086 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... low light, low flow worked for me __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

06-09-2008, 11:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mattfish King of all I survey Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... Here's the catch I forgot to mention. Until last week, we had the older one on the floor of the tank in the sand. Still didn't open, although for most of that time, we had high Alk, low Ca, etc. But it was a low flow, low light placement.... Could it be the Phosphate and they're just especially sensitive? __________________ Mike - for the Mattfish Family - Mike, Pum and Matthew the little fish "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it's real money." Sen. Sam Rayburn on the 1964 Congressional Budget, or, anyone with a tank. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." Joe Walsh on life. "Vote early, vote often." Mayor Wild Bill Thompson of Chicago on elections during the Capone era.

06-10-2008, 12:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,086 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... Are you feeding them? They seem to be similar to some non-photosynthetic corals in that they need to be fed often. I give them small chunks of shrimp, scallop, squid, mysis, etc about every 3-4 days. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

06-10-2008, 12:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
Mattfish King of all I survey Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... We would if they would come out ;-) but the tank gets mysis and brine everyday. If they poked their little polyps out, I'd be happy to make sure they got food, but they're doing this just to frustrate me obviously..... __________________ Mike - for the Mattfish Family - Mike, Pum and Matthew the little fish "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it's real money." Sen. Sam Rayburn on the 1964 Congressional Budget, or, anyone with a tank. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." Joe Walsh on life. "Vote early, vote often." Mayor Wild Bill Thompson of Chicago on elections during the Capone era.

06-10-2008, 12:24 AM	#7 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,086 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... hmm, I need a picture. My duncans shrivel and expand from time to time, but their tentacles are always out. Your referance to a "polyp" makes me wonder if you are talking about something other than a duncan. Even when they are shriveled their tentacles still hold on to food. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

06-10-2008, 12:40 AM	#8 (permalink)
Mattfish King of all I survey Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... I tried getting a picture but the little camera's got dead batteries.... but honest, they're Duncan's. I may be describing it badly, but the "leafy part" won't come out of the "shoots". They were out at the two lfs we bought them both from, and when we brought them home, each one was out for a s hort while, but then won't come back out - as mentioned, the last one we got was 9 or 10 days ago, and was open and out at the lfs. Green, "fringed" at the edges, flowing in the breeze, but not here at home.... it's gotta be something in our water..... I could believe the first one's may have been damaged by high alk, although they've come part way out about 4-5 days ago, but the newer one only when it first came home..... __________________ Mike - for the Mattfish Family - Mike, Pum and Matthew the little fish "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it's real money." Sen. Sam Rayburn on the 1964 Congressional Budget, or, anyone with a tank. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." Joe Walsh on life. "Vote early, vote often." Mayor Wild Bill Thompson of Chicago on elections during the Capone era.

06-10-2008, 10:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
AnotherLousy1 Somewhere Beyond The Sea Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Salty Haven Posts: 259 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... I bought a single head duncan about 2 weeks ago and have it placed low in the tank in a rock under a overhang. Comes out everyday and in fact looks as if the skirt/tentacles are bigger and longer than when I first bought it. I would agree to get a handle on the water quality and params first. Good luck and keep us posted __________________ Lynnette Keep up with my small piece of the ocean 58 Gallon Reef Chronicle Or just go directly to the 58 Gallon webcam to see what's happening today. Web Cam userid: rsreefers password: reeffun Click the single tab and you're all set to view. HAVE FUN! "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" - Dr. Seuss

06-10-2008, 11:32 AM	#11 (permalink)
Mattfish King of all I survey Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 190 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Duncan's don't come out.... We'll try lower and less flow, and, as mentioned, am working on the water, but here's the big question - are Duncan's somehow MUCH more sensitive to Phosphate than any other type of coral? We have about 18 kinds of coral, clams, and just about everything else in our tank, all flourishing. Only the Duncan's are showing signs of trouble. The only thing I can think of is that they're especially touchy, which goes against what I know of them.... __________________ Mike - for the Mattfish Family - Mike, Pum and Matthew the little fish "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it's real money." Sen. Sam Rayburn on the 1964 Congressional Budget, or, anyone with a tank. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." Joe Walsh on life. "Vote early, vote often." Mayor Wild Bill Thompson of Chicago on elections during the Capone era.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)