has anyone gotten a duncan coral to branch?

r-balljunkie · 02/14/2010, 07:38 PM

i have seen duncans in the wild branch out, with several smaller heads. mines started from a frag, and has probably 30+ heads, but its a single mass, with no branches. has anyone gotten theirs to branch?

do duncans grow different based on region?

Fishamatank · 02/14/2010, 07:41 PM

I've seen a big branching one in a LFS but it may have been wild caught, not sure.
Mine does not branch, just keeps popping up more heads.

graveyardworm · 02/14/2010, 07:41 PM

I believe there are different growth forms. Some may be more massive in growth while others branch.

radicaltimes · 02/14/2010, 07:56 PM

Mine is the same way. It was fragged from a branching colony but mine is just a large ball.

Agu · 02/14/2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radicaltimes

Mine is the same way. It was fragged from a branching colony but mine is just a large ball.

Same here ...........

jayb12 · 02/14/2010, 08:25 PM

i would suspect its how your placing the coral that determines how it grows,

like an acan, if left on the sand it grows into a ball, if on a rock, flat and along it.
mine is glued off the edge of a rock so theres nothing under it to support it and came from a branching colony and it continues to grow 6 months later as a branch type.

Fishamatank · 02/14/2010, 08:31 PM

Mine was 2 heads on a branch, from a branching colony. I glued it to a rock and now it is 8-10 heads all on one branch.

Shane Hoffman · 02/14/2010, 08:44 PM

I bought one labeled and "unidentified coral" at my LFS. 40$...yeah me . Anyhow it started with 40 heads. It has since branched off 4 more branches and now has close to 70 heads.

fishysteve · 02/14/2010, 09:21 PM

Mine's just a big ball. Started as 3 heads now has about 40+ after fragging quite a bit.

r-balljunkie · 02/14/2010, 09:24 PM

Any branching pics, from a frag?

iamwrasseman · 02/14/2010, 10:03 PM

i have a few and they mostly grow into a ball . the one that i have owned for about six years is actually elongating, so i would say that it is branching as you asked about . wow i never thought about it but it has only grown an inch in all that time but you can see branching like on a tree .

graveyardworm · 02/15/2010, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shane Hoffman

I bought one labeled and "unidentified coral" at my LFS. 40$...yeah me . Anyhow it started with 40 heads. It has since branched off 4 more branches and now has close to 70 heads.

We need a picture of this.

SNAKEMANVET · 02/15/2010, 09:33 AM

This started as a one head frag,it branched alittle but has grown so many heads that it looks like a large clump.There is approximatly 40 heads now.

fishysteve · 02/15/2010, 09:38 AM

If that is what you meant by "branching" then I guess mine has too. I thought you meant branches that are more noticeable / longer.

SNAKEMANVET · 02/15/2010, 09:47 AM

I have seen those,makes me wonder if there is more than one species of duncans.My duncans branch about a 1.5'' then put on several heads and fills in.

fishysteve · 02/15/2010, 09:52 AM

Yeah mine looks very similar you yours snakemanvet. I thought the OP meant branching like a euphylia.

unbreakable · 02/15/2010, 10:18 AM

Is it related to flow? Check out these duncans in the beginning of the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wB849d4SFY

basssnake · 02/15/2010, 10:20 AM

How hard is it to take care of duncan's? My tank does have some nitrates issues, but I do have a candy cane that is doing very well.

Nor_Cal_Guy · 02/15/2010, 10:26 AM

They do branch in captivity. My buddy has many many colonies and they branch beautifully. However, my first frag was from him and it BARELY branches, he gave me another frag that has a 3" branch to satisfy my branch needs.

basssnake-Duncans are hearty. My oldest coral. It has been in 4 different setups from a 12g nano to 75 mixed reef. Mine even survived a crash. Lost about 30 corals and 10 fish.

SNAKEMANVET · 02/15/2010, 10:41 AM

Do you have it med or low flow.

Nor_Cal_Guy · 02/15/2010, 10:52 AM

I have my "branch" in med flow, bunching duncan is in lower flow, the buddy of mine has his in high flow and they love it.

unbreakable · 02/15/2010, 10:59 AM

Ive got mine in moderate flow as well. I have SPS and I heard duncans did well and liked high flow. Mine seem like theyre starting to branch

SNAKEMANVET · 02/15/2010, 11:21 AM

I might need to move mine where they can get more flow,now it is just enough to move the tentacles alittle

iamwrasseman · 02/15/2010, 06:34 PM

very slow to branch to say the least .

Nor_Cal_Guy · 03/01/2010, 10:57 AM

I was told you need to get the wild caught Australian Duncan corals to get them to branch.

02/14/2010, 07:38 PM	#1
r-balljunkie Registered Reefer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Doha, Qatar Posts: 2,059	has anyone gotten a duncan coral to branch? i have seen duncans in the wild branch out, with several smaller heads. mines started from a frag, and has probably 30+ heads, but its a single mass, with no branches. has anyone gotten theirs to branch? do duncans grow different based on region?

02/14/2010, 07:41 PM	#3
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	I believe there are different growth forms. Some may be more massive in growth while others branch. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

02/14/2010, 08:25 PM	#6
jayb12 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: niagara falls, canada Posts: 552	i would suspect its how your placing the coral that determines how it grows, like an acan, if left on the sand it grows into a ball, if on a rock, flat and along it. mine is glued off the edge of a rock so theres nothing under it to support it and came from a branching colony and it continues to grow 6 months later as a branch type. __________________ 250 gal aggressive reef tank. 24" zebra moray------- 5" emperor snapper 5" yellow tang---------- 5" purple tang 3" volitan lion----------- 12" volitan lion 5" cinnamon clowns--- 6" clown trigger 11" harliquin tusk------ 6" niger trigger various sps, lps and soft corals and one hell of a clean up crew!

02/14/2010, 08:44 PM	#8
Shane Hoffman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 45 mins from Chicago Posts: 2,009	I bought one labeled and "unidentified coral" at my LFS. 40$...yeah me . Anyhow it started with 40 heads. It has since branched off 4 more branches and now has close to 70 heads. __________________ A wise man once said "Never play leap frog with a unicorn" Current Tank Info: 150 gallon glass with 20 gallon sump, 175lbs of coraline covered live rock, EuroReef skimmer rated for 250gal, 25watt Aqua UV sterilizer, Fluval FX5, Hamilton 3x250watt MH, 160 watt Blue actinic....Mixed reef

02/14/2010, 09:21 PM	#9
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	Mine's just a big ball. Started as 3 heads now has about 40+ after fragging quite a bit. __________________ On a break

02/14/2010, 07:41 PM	#2
Fishamatank Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,017	I've seen a big branching one in a LFS but it may have been wild caught, not sure. Mine does not branch, just keeps popping up more heads.

02/14/2010, 07:56 PM	#4
radicaltimes Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Columbus, Oh Posts: 274	Mine is the same way. It was fragged from a branching colony but mine is just a large ball.

02/14/2010, 08:31 PM	#7
Fishamatank Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,017	Mine was 2 heads on a branch, from a branching colony. I glued it to a rock and now it is 8-10 heads all on one branch.

02/14/2010, 09:24 PM	#10
r-balljunkie Registered Reefer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Doha, Qatar Posts: 2,059	Any branching pics, from a frag?

02/14/2010, 10:03 PM	#11
iamwrasseman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: syracuse Posts: 7,003	i have a few and they mostly grow into a ball . the one that i have owned for about six years is actually elongating, so i would say that it is branching as you asked about . wow i never thought about it but it has only grown an inch in all that time but you can see branching like on a tree . __________________ This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ?

02/15/2010, 09:33 AM	#13
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	This started as a one head frag,it branched alittle but has grown so many heads that it looks like a large clump.There is approximatly 40 heads now.

02/15/2010, 09:38 AM	#14
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	If that is what you meant by "branching" then I guess mine has too. I thought you meant branches that are more noticeable / longer. __________________ On a break

02/15/2010, 09:47 AM	#15
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	I have seen those,makes me wonder if there is more than one species of duncans.My duncans branch about a 1.5'' then put on several heads and fills in.

02/15/2010, 09:52 AM	#16
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	Yeah mine looks very similar you yours snakemanvet. I thought the OP meant branching like a euphylia. __________________ On a break

02/15/2010, 10:18 AM	#17
unbreakable D: Join Date: May 2007 Location: ? Posts: 2,868	Is it related to flow? Check out these duncans in the beginning of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wB849d4SFY __________________ INTERNET= Serious Business!

02/15/2010, 10:20 AM	#18
basssnake Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 838	How hard is it to take care of duncan's? My tank does have some nitrates issues, but I do have a candy cane that is doing very well.

02/15/2010, 10:26 AM	#19
Nor_Cal_Guy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NorCal Posts: 300	They do branch in captivity. My buddy has many many colonies and they branch beautifully. However, my first frag was from him and it BARELY branches, he gave me another frag that has a 3" branch to satisfy my branch needs. basssnake-Duncans are hearty. My oldest coral. It has been in 4 different setups from a 12g nano to 75 mixed reef. Mine even survived a crash. Lost about 30 corals and 10 fish.

02/15/2010, 10:41 AM	#20
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	Do you have it med or low flow.

02/15/2010, 10:52 AM	#21
Nor_Cal_Guy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NorCal Posts: 300	I have my "branch" in med flow, bunching duncan is in lower flow, the buddy of mine has his in high flow and they love it.

02/15/2010, 10:59 AM	#22
unbreakable D: Join Date: May 2007 Location: ? Posts: 2,868	Ive got mine in moderate flow as well. I have SPS and I heard duncans did well and liked high flow. Mine seem like theyre starting to branch __________________ INTERNET= Serious Business!

02/15/2010, 11:21 AM	#23
SNAKEMANVET PREMIUM MEMBER Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: TRENTON Tn Posts: 4,486	I might need to move mine where they can get more flow,now it is just enough to move the tentacles alittle

02/15/2010, 06:34 PM	#24
iamwrasseman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: syracuse Posts: 7,003	very slow to branch to say the least . __________________ This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ?

03/01/2010, 10:57 AM	#25
Nor_Cal_Guy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NorCal Posts: 300	I was told you need to get the wild caught Australian Duncan corals to get them to branch.