Stubby Duncan Tentacles

See Gee Sea · Mar 16, 2021

Hi! I’ve had this small Duncan in my tank for about a month and the tentacles are stubby looking, more so than when I got it from the LFS. Today before my lights came on and there was ambient light they looked a little more “normal”. Is it getting too much light? It’s on a rock that’s just a few inches from the bottom of the tank. Should I put it somewhere shadier?

Jekyl · Mar 16, 2021

Parameters and lighting type/settings?

Twinanoreef · Mar 16, 2021

Try placing it on the bottom or lower in the tank and give it a few days to see how it reacts. Although it can be acclimated to higher light it is generally a lower light coral. I keep mine on the bottom and it's happy. It could also be a flow issue, with too much flow it won't extend fully.

CrimsonTide · Mar 16, 2021

I had to get mine used to higher flow over a couple of weeks. They would always shrink in the flow. Now they wave away. And they seem to do better lower in the tank but I'm sure they can get used to that as well.

I've also noticed a couple different types of duncans for sale and some are more stubby than long tentacles but yours look pretty retracted. Have you tried to feed them?

See Gee Sea · Mar 16, 2021

Ooops for got Parameters. They are:
Alk 9.5
Ca 440
Mg 1330
pH 8.3
Nitrates 5ppm
Phosphate 0 ppm
Salinity 1.025
Temp 78

See Gee Sea · Mar 16, 2021

CrimsonTide said:
I had to get mine used to higher flow over a couple of weeks. They would always shrink in the flow. Now they wave away. And they seem to do better lower in the tank but I'm sure they can get used to that as well.

I've also noticed a couple different types of duncans for sale and some are more stubby than long tentacles but yours look pretty retracted. Have you tried to feed them?

I’ve been target feeding it once a week and supplementing with Reef Chili.

CrimsonTide · Mar 16, 2021

See Gee Sea said:
I’ve been target feeding it once a week and supplementing with Reef Chili.

So they have a good feeding response? Thats a good sign. From what I understand there are 2 different types on duncans some that branch from the skeleton and some that branch right from under the polyps if other heads. I do think yours are retracted so you might want to bring them lower down and find a place with less flow for now and see if that helps at all. I just took a pic of a frag of mine to see the difference.