Duncan corals

[bigdogeder]

Hey all been a while since I hAd something new to post but I am having a bit of a problem. First let me give you the background my tank is a red sea MAxd 34 gallon. It is stock with all the original lights and such. My parameters:
Ammonia 0
Nitirites 0
Nitrates 0
Sg 1.26
Temp. 79
I do a 6 gallon water change each week with ro/di water from my Lfs . I recently bought a 3 headed Duncan frag it is doing ok but it seems the heads aren't opening fully. The "tentacles " are coming out but are short and rounded not long and flowing line some I have seen. I have the coral in the middle of the tank and it is getting medium flow. The thing that is confusing me is that at night, the arms are coming out fully at night when the moon lights are on. Do I have the coral too high in the tank? Should I move it down to the sand bed? I have been target feeding it every other day when I feed the rest of my tank and it eats a ton. All my other corals: frogspawn, gonoporia, hammer, toadstool, and mushrooms are all doing great. I really like this coral and obviously want it to do well I am just not sure what to do from here.
Thanks

 

[bigdogeder]

Btw my nitrates are a little under 5 btw not 0

 

[TeamTrash]

Let me know when you find out. Mine was perfectly happy for two days until I had to take the tank apart to get a dead fish out. Since then it has been PO'ed at me and will not open. I've tried to move it to different places, but I think that just made it worse.

 

[Sniperhank]

Mine is doing the same thing, only because my tank was a mushroom leather nuked my tank. But, this is how I have had success with my duncan. Move it to different flow spots. Put it in one and leave it for a day or 2 and see what happens. If it does well, don't move it. If not, another spot with different flow.

 

[joy13]

My thought is chemical warfare with the other corals. Is there any leather in your tank for some reason my ducans do best in tanks without leather corals. Are you running a skimmer?

 

[bigdogeder]

Yes I am running a skimmer I will post pictures tomorrow when I can and hopefully someone has an idea what I should try. Thanks

 

[MikeYQM]

Duncan's like better water quality than other LPS. Failure to fully extend is often indicative of water quality issues.

I would double check your parameters at your LFS. Failing that, consider moving to lower light @ flow areas.

 

[Scotty09]

I have a healthy Duncan's coral fort I'd share my info . It's about 12 inches deep from a mh250w it's in a high flow area and it must grow a new head every time I feed it mysis but when I first got it this wasnt the case sounded alot like urs but I fed it mysis every other day and it opened more and more . Hope this helps

 

[Leighton79]

My Duncan's ALWAYS look better at night.

Far more puffed up and tentacles are longer and skinnier than the stubby fat ones it displays in the day.

Therefore I assume they are under to much light although that's doubtful, it's 156w of T5 on a 40ish Gallon tank and the coral is on the tank bottom.

Funny things corals...

 

[TeamTrash]

Yes I am running a skimmer I will post pictures tomorrow when I can and hopefully someone has an idea what I should try. Thanks

I just installed a skimmer and I had to get a new powerhead as mine broke last night. If I figure out something that works I'll let you know if you'll do the same Oh, and what kind of lights do you have?