Lighting
60-140 PAR is a starting range; fleshy tissue should expand without paling, stretching, or pulling against skeleton.
LPSBeginnerCare score 3/10
Duncan Coral
Duncanopsammia axifuga
Identify Duncan Coral by large daisy-like polyps and branching tubular skeleton; then set low placement, moderate flow, and enough separation from Goniopora and Alveopora.
Compare large daisy-like polyps, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
Snapshot
Quick Care Snapshot
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Care score
- 3/10
- Placement
- Low
- PAR range
- 60-140 PAR
- Flow
- Moderate
- Aggression
- Low
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Minimum tank age
- 3 months
- Minimum tank size
- 15 gallons
Images
Reference Photos
Photos are shown only when a source includes reusable license metadata. Always verify appearance against the coral in your own lighting and flow.
Primary reference: Emőke Dénes
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kinkreet
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Julia Sumangil
Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranges
Water Parameters
These ranges are approximate starting points from the coral database and should be adjusted to the stability and history of your system.
- Temperature
- 76-80 F / 24.4-26.7 C
- Salinity
- 1.024-1.026
- Alkalinity
- 8-10 dKH
- Calcium
- 400-460 ppm
- Magnesium
- 1250-1400 ppm
- Nitrate
- 2-20 ppm
- Phosphate
- 0.03-0.12 ppm
Care
Care Notes
Flow
moderate indirect flow should move tissue gently without folding it into sharp skeleton or neighbors.
Stability
For Duncan Coral, verify salinity and alkalinity trends before changing placement; repeated moves and direct corrective swings can irritate fleshy tissue.
Variability
Duncan Coral requirements vary by specimen, aquaculture history, shipping stress, and tank maturity; use these ranges as starting points, not guarantees.
Feeding
Feeding
- Benefits from feeding
- Yes
- Food types
- mysis, brine shrimp, small pellets
- Frequency
- 1-2 times weekly for faster growth
ID
Identification
Key features
- large daisy-like polyps
- branching tubular skeleton
- green or tan oral disc
Common colors
- Green
- Tan
- Purple
Similar coral references
How to tell apart
Duncan coral has fewer large polyps on a hard branching skeleton rather than dense flower-like fields. Separate Duncan Coral from Goniopora and Alveopora by checking large daisy-like polyps, branching tubular skeleton, and green or tan oral disc in normal white light. Then confirm corallite walls, polyp shape, tissue inflation, and where recession begins; avoid using a trade name as the only ID evidence. Because trade photos can exaggerate color, skeleton shape, polyp layout, and expansion pattern are stronger clues than color alone.
Placement
Compatibility
Compatibility depends on specimen size, flow, growth, aggression, and spacing. Use these references conservatively and watch for contact over time.
Usually compatible with spacing
Use caution near
Avoid close placement with
No database references listed.
Spacing recommendation: keep about 2 inches of clearance, then adjust based on extension and neighboring coral response.
Troubleshooting
Common Problems
Use these as troubleshooting checks, not a diagnosis. Symptoms may point to more than one issue.
Duncan Coral fleshy tissue recession or weak inflationOpen for symptoms, likely causes to check, and practical next steps.
Symptoms that may indicate it
- polyps inflate less, exposed skeleton appears, or feeding response weakens
- Duncan Coral shows less normal extension, inflation, or feeding response than its recent baseline
- changes are localized rather than a confirmed single-cause condition
Likely causes to check
- alkalinity swings, direct flow, stinging contact, or abrasion
- recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Duncan Coral
- possible irritation from neighbors, pests, detritus, or handling depending on the coral group
Quick checks
- check Duncan Coral alkalinity trend and look for nearby stinging contact
- reduce direct flow if tissue is pressed against skeleton
- increase spacing and observe the coral under white light and after lights out
Checklist
Common Mistakes
- protect fleshy LPS tissue from direct flow and sharp rock
- placing Duncan Coral before confirming large daisy-like polyps and its spacing needs
- using Duncan Coral color or trade name alone instead of comparing it with Goniopora
- changing light, flow, and chemistry together when Duncan Coral looks irritated
- ignoring fleshy tissue protection from direct flow when keeping Duncan Coral
Compare
Similar Corals
Neighbors
Compatible Corals
These corals are usually compatible with spacing, observation, and stable conditions. This is not a guarantee.
Usually compatible with spacing
Hammer Coral
Fimbriaphyllia ancora / Fimbriaphyllia paraancora
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Aggression
- Moderate
Usually compatible with spacing
Frogspawn Coral
Fimbriaphyllia divisa / Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Aggression
- Moderate
Usually compatible with spacing
Candy Cane Coral
Caulastrea furcata
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Aggression
- Low
Usually compatible with spacing
Blastomussa
Blastomussa wellsi / Blastomussa merleti
- Category
- LPS
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Aggression
- Low
FAQs
FAQs
Is Duncan Coral beginner friendly?
Duncan Coral can be beginner friendly in a stable reef, but still needs acclimation, space, and observation after moves.
Where should Duncan Coral be placed?
Start Duncan Coral low in the tank or on the sand/low rockwork when its tissue form allows it. Use 60-140 PAR and moderate flow as a starting point, then adjust from tissue extension, color, and nearby coral response.
Should I target feed Duncan Coral?
Duncan Coral may benefit from careful target feeding with mysis, brine shrimp, and small pellets. Use the listed frequency as a starting point: 1-2 times weekly for faster growth. Feed only when the coral accepts food and avoid forcing food into stressed tissue.
How much space does Duncan Coral need?
Give Duncan Coral about 2 inches of clearance as a starting point. Its database aggression level is Low. Use caution near Torch Coral and Elegance Coral. Avoid close placement when neighboring corals can make direct contact. Compatibility is not a guarantee, so check contact points as colonies expand.
What should I check if Duncan Coral looks stressed?
Use this as a troubleshooting check. For Duncan Coral, polyps inflate less, exposed skeleton appears, or feeding response weakens and Duncan Coral shows less normal extension, inflation, or feeding response than its recent baseline can indicate Duncan Coral fleshy tissue recession or weak inflation. Likely causes to check include alkalinity swings, direct flow, stinging contact, or abrasion and recent placement, lighting, flow, or chemistry changes affecting Duncan Coral. Start with these database checks: check Duncan Coral alkalinity trend and look for nearby stinging contact and reduce direct flow if tissue is pressed against skeleton.
What stability issue matters most for Duncan Coral?
For Duncan Coral, verify salinity and alkalinity trends before changing placement; repeated moves and direct corrective swings can irritate fleshy tissue. The database lists 3 months as the minimum tank age and 15 gallons as the minimum tank size. For LPS-style care, protect fleshy tissue from repeated moves, direct flow, and abrupt chemistry corrections.
Coral Identifier
Identify Duncan Coral.
Compare likely matches.
Use the app to compare photos, lookalikes, and key visual clues when you want a second pass on an ID.
Compare large daisy-like polyps, care range, and nearby lookalikes while checking an ID.
Photo-based coral IDReference photosLikely matches
