Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[schooncw]

Great thread!

 

[twentyleagues]

Here is the branching one I got a while back.

In this not so great fts you can see the 3 I have. Reminds me I have not taken pics in a long time.

 

[skey44]

I think Duncan corals are one of those corals that are so easy people expect them to make it through anything. In my experience when they don’t do well there are significant maintenance issues and general lack of maintenance and proper care requirements being met. I ran into this when I was working in a fish store and the LPS display would go long periods without maintenance.

I love mine. It’s in a good spot where it should be able to get pretty big in the background of my tank.
This was a 4 polyp frag 8 months or so ago. Love the growth rate and movement it provides.

 

[twentyleagues]

I think I had a point to posting pics that I forgot to add looking for a close up of the one on the lower left ( and being at work). There is a difference in Duncans they are all considered "branching corals" but in reality the majority of them grow more like say an Acan kind of a ball (yes I know Acan is incorrect but I cant stop). True branching ones like the one I have are pretty rare to find you can see the distance between the polyps more like a torch or hammer but the polyps still form on one branch instead of creating a multitude of branches in close proximity. At any rate the "balling" form as I like to call them gets detritus build up easily and I think not handling that causes their downfall.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

One Spot Foxface

The new one spot foxface donate by Dr Reef arrived in fine shape and is in the tank.

Yellow tang is definitely not happy about him. Plenty of tail swipes, but after a few minutes they seem to be calming down. The foxface seems not very afraid. It backs away a couple of inches, but is not running scared or hiding.

I also noticed the tang has another, smaller one of those isopod parasites on its fin. The last one released pretty quick so I’m just going to observe.

As a side note, the green chromis all still hang as a group, as seen in the bottom picture.

 

[XtraKargo]

I think I had a point to posting pics that I forgot to add looking for a close up of the one on the lower left ( and being at work). There is a difference in Duncans they are all considered "branching corals" but in reality the majority of them grow more like say an Acan kind of a ball (yes I know Acan is incorrect but I cant stop). True branching ones like the one I have are pretty rare to find you can see the distance between the polyps more like a torch or hammer but the polyps still form on one branch instead of creating a multitude of branches in close proximity. At any rate the "balling" form as I like to call them gets detritus build up easily and I think not handling that causes their downfall.

I was told by my LFS that when they have branches it is how they form in the ocean, but when they ball that is how they form in our tanks. Not certain of how true this is, but it stuck with me. More food for thought. :-)

 

[twentyleagues]

I was told by my LFS that when they have branches it is how they form in the ocean, but when they ball that is how they form in our tanks. Not certain of how true this is, but it stuck with me. More food for thought. :-)

That very well may be true. I have heard that as well. Its the first one I have had like this. The branch has not changed that I can see. The polyps have gotten larger and a new one opened near the "end" of the branch. I am hoping its not the case as it would be cool to have a different growth form of duncan.
I wonder why, if it is the case of just being in captivity.

 

[LiquidSpace]

This is my thought as well. I could be wrong but isnt that a Nerite in the pic? If they are Nerite eggs they will not hatch in saltwater, they need brackish water to be viable. One reason I dont like Nerite snails the eggs get everywhere and never hatch in both freshwater and saltwater. Put these creatures in brackish water to get a breeding project going and they stop laying eggs.....lol

I’m happy to know they won’t hatch in saltwater because I find them ugly and thought I was just screwed. This at least allows me to start removing the snails and knowing it won’t be a never ending battle.

 

[rtparty]

Years ago I had duncans grow like crazy in my little Nanocube with the stock PC lighting. No skimmer, no fuge, nothing.

I tried them twice in my 250 and they died both times. I never found out the reason and positive it wasn’t from “lack of maintenance or care”. I think they are a harder coral than some think or they come in with a possible infection?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for the Duncan comments, folks. I pulled the trigger, misjudged Boston Friday rush hour traffic, spent hours in it, but now have it.

Here are the seller pics, and one of
mine 30 seconds after adding to my tank:

 

[Miami Reef]

Oh yeah, that looks goooood!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks, I think so too. :)

FWIW, the tang and foxface seem to have settled their issues and the isopod is no longer on the tang. Not sure why, but both times they attached to a fin, and dropped off again within hours.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Duncan is opening up. This pic is 2 h after putting it into the tank:

 

[BeanAnimal]

What filter are you using or is there that little blue?

 

[twentyleagues]

Duncan is opening up. This pic is 2 h after putting it into the tank:

That looks great! That blade combo you have is really nice looking, I really like it. Seems your corals like it too. What % are you are now?
Side note/question Are the white "tendrils" above the nem the ones you were asking about earlier in the thread? They look more like plant roots to me here.

 

[Miami Reef]

Phones always make the pictures more bluer than reality. I think Randy’s tank might be even whiter than that photo.

 

[rishma]

That’s a great Duncan!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What filter are you using or is there that little blue?

Straight up iPhone.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That looks great! That blade combo you have is really nice looking, I really like it. Seems your corals like it too. What % are you are now?
Side note/question Are the white "tendrils" above the nem the ones you were asking about earlier in the thread? They look more like plant roots to me here.

I think it is 40% all channels and I’m moving to 45 tomorrow.

Those tendrils are new and unknown. They are thinner and more delicate than the ones from earlier.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I added 0.06 ppm of iodide this morning. I am not sure if it is useful, but I expect all the macro growth in the refugium is stripping it rapidly. I’m going to have to start throwing away the excess ulva. The fish cannot keep up with it.

The Duncan looks fine this AM, as does the new foxface. I don’t see much antagonism with the tang today, so them seem to have settled their differences. I think I’m going to move the Duncan to a different location later today after advice from the tank artistic director.