Duncan growth pattern

BlazinNano · Mar 11, 2010

Ok I have seen lost of pics of Duncans that it looks like almost every head has a stalk or like it is branching. I have had mine for close to a year. It started with one head now there is probably 15+. The thing is the original stalk has not really grown at all. It just keeps popping out little babies. the babies never get real big because they never get light. Why does the stalk not grow?

dtpollard · Mar 12, 2010

Mine tend to do that at first from a small frag. I think the reason is we take special care of the frags and feed them. Once it grows larger and moves into the display they get less food and will start to branch and the branches don't seem to grow very fast. So IMHO the branching versus the muti head ball is directly related to the amount of food.
This is an opinion but what I see it seems to support the theory. :)

Paul_N · Mar 12, 2010

I have always wondered the same thing. I have one that had started as three heads and is well over 50. I target fed it as first but honestly haven't fed it directly in over 9 months and it continues to grow the same. I even moved it down low thinking it would branch to reach for the light but nothing. Mine is one big ball.

BlazinNano · Mar 12, 2010

Paul_PSU said:
I have always wondered the same thing. I have one that had started as three heads and is well over 50. I target fed it as first but honestly haven't fed it directly in over 9 months and it continues to grow the same. I even moved it down low thinking it would branch to reach for the light but nothing. Mine is one big ball.

I don't target feed mine anymore but the heads are sooo big it catches everything. It is on the sand bed. Still grows like a ball.

stunreefer · Mar 12, 2010

More flow can cause them to branch out more along with lower light (they stretch for the light). Feeding definitely plays a roll, and more food will cause them to ball up more. They don't have to stretch out (to obtain more light for photosynthesis) if they're being fed.

The really branching tabling looking colonies we see imported are probably not going to be duplicated in regards to growth in captivity, especially from a small frag.