Duncan(?) Placement

[Roboson]

Hey R2R,

I just got this coral, which I think is a Duncan, from my awful LFS earlier today.

I dipped it and acclimated it and now it's starting to open up slowly.

I was wondering what part of the tank I should place him in? I was thinking moderate light and moderate flow? Is that right?

 

[Roboson]

Oh right now it's just in my improv frag rack until I know where I'm the tank he'll be happy.

 

[Kershaw]

I keep mine pretty much on the bottom of tank in a spot that has allot of moderate random flow

 

[Roboson]

Right now mines about halfway up the tank on the rack. Should I move him down?

Also I thought Duncan's had large heads, but the heads on this guy are tiny.

 

[Kershaw]

They get large. They take time to open all the way. Some days they don't open at all. What lighting you use?

 

[Kershaw]

How deep is you me tank

 

[Roboson]

This tank is a 10g with compact floresent whites and some blue LEDs. It's 20 inches tall. (It's becoming a sump in a few weeks when my big tank is cycled and I have time for the big move).

 

[ReefQueen]

I don't think you have a duncan there, I wanna say cup coral, but not 100% on that.

Edit, the more I look at it the more sure I am that it is a cup, aka pagoda, aka turbinaria;)

 

[Roboson]

I just moved it, which made it angry. Here's the skeletal structure if that helps.

 

[ReefQueen]

Hmmm it does look more duncany closed up. But those little polyps look like turbinaria to me, I also don't have my glasses on right now though haha. I would say leave it on the sand bed until it opens up more to be sure, it's usually best to start things there and work them up anyway.

 

[Roboson]

I'll see if it's fully extended in the morning when I do a water change.

 

[Roboson]

Did a big water change earlier. He seemed unhappy about my constant nitrate problem. Now he seems pretty happy.

Would you say he's a Duncan or no? Also please excuse the gunk on my glass.

 

[Roboson]

I think you were right on it being a turbania. I had never even heard of that kind of coral. But I was looking at some LPS guides on the Internet and there it was.
The tentacles just don't look right to be a Duncan and the head size is way to small. I'm not sure if I should be disappointed or excited.

 

[Tahoe61]

Looks like a Duncanopsammia to me. Tentacle size and shape is dictated by flow and water chemistry. :-)

 

[Reefrookie220]

Looks like duncans to me.

Mine are on the sand bed, pic for reference:

Mad at the moment, my clown tries to host it lol

 

[Chrisfish]

I'm kinda a newby so I don't give much advice here:) but it looks a lot like my Duncan that I've had for 6 mos.+ and they are finicky , I keep mine on the sand bed with a little more than moderate flow. :)

 

[Reefrookie220]

As you can tell, I too rescue frags lol (Skelton showing chalice in background) got some of my favorite corals this way.

 

[Roboson]

As you can tell, I too rescue frags lol (Skelton showing chalice in background) got some of my favorite corals this way.

It's a fun thing to do. Hopefully I'm able to save that SPS I got. This guy seems pretty happy already. Some heads are very extended. But others are only half open. It is just his first day though.

When I google Duncan's I see lots of longer tentacles, but that pic above and mine have short tentacles.

 

[Chrisfish]

Give the Duncan some time, it really looks like one

 

[Roboson]

Ok, if it is a Duncan what kind of flow and light would you guys recommend? I read moderate of both in one place, and low of both in another. What do you all think?