TSA Booberry Duncan Coral

TSA Booberry Duncan Coral

Sale price  $39.99 Regular price $49.99
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TSA Booberry Duncan Coral

TSA Booberry Duncan Coral

Sale price  $39.99 Regular price $49.99
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Grow your TSA Booberry Duncan with:

Quick Specs

Care Level
Easy
Flow
Moderate
Lighting
Moderate
Placement
Low–Mid
Growth Rate
Shop live corals by growth rate: Slow–Moderate
Temperament
Peaceful(short sweepers; 2–3 inches spacing)
Feeding
Photosyntheticmysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, chopped krill, copepods, zooplankton, microplankton, coral-specific foods, finely minced seafood
Description
You will receive a frag similar in shape and size to the photo. Frags are typically ¾" – 1" in size.

Aquacultured Duncan Coral

Duncan corals (Duncanopsammia axifuga) are large polyp stony (LPS) corals admired for their flowing tentacles and colors that range from soft greens to striking pinks and purples. Similar in growth pattern to candy cane corals, a duncan coral develops a branching structure with multiple heads that expands into eye-catching clusters. Our duncan coral for sale is propagated from mother colonies in our aquaculture systems.

Hardy and adaptable, Duncans are a strong choice for reef keepers of all experience levels, and they add texture, depth, and movement to a wide variety of aquascapes.

In the wild, Duncans are native to shallow reef slopes and lagoonal zones of the Indo-Pacific, particularly Australia and Indonesia. They attach to rocky substrate or coral rubble, where moderate water movement and nutrient-rich water let their branches expand into large colonies.

Duncan Coral Care at a Glance

Parameter Recommended Range
Care level Beginner-friendly
Lighting Moderate, 80–150 PAR
Water flow Gentle to moderate, indirect and random
Temperature 75–80°F
Salinity 1.024–1.026
Calcium 380–450 ppm
Alkalinity 8–9.5 dKH
Magnesium 1250–1350 ppm
Nitrate 5–15 ppm
Phosphate <0.10 ppm
Origin Indo-Pacific; aquacultured by Top Shelf Aquatics

Water Chemistry for Duncans

Duncans tolerate minor fluctuations, but a stable environment is what drives robust growth and long-term health. Test regularly and supplement as needed to keep calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium consistent.

Lighting Your Duncan Coral

Moderate light in the 80–150 PAR range balances photosynthesis for the coral's zooxanthellae without the stress of excessive intensity. The middle or lower sections of the aquarium, where light is more subdued, usually work well, and the tentacles will expand fully once the coral is comfortable. When moving a frag to a new setup, increase light exposure gradually to prevent bleaching. We maintain our Duncans under calibrated EcoTech Marine Radions and metal halides.

Water Flow

Gentle to moderate, indirect flow lets the tentacles sway naturally while removing debris and delivering nutrients. Too much flow causes the polyps to retract, while too little allows detritus to settle on the tissue. We run EcoTech Marine MP pumps and Reef Octopus OCTO Pulse pumps on a variety of settings to create a random flow pattern that closely mimics natural ocean currents.

What We Feed Our Duncan Corals

Duncans are opportunistic feeders that combine light-driven energy with supplemental nutrition, and extra food enhances growth and coloration. Offer a mix of fine-particle foods and meatier options such as mysis shrimp or finely chopped seafood. Our routine includes:

  • Phytoplankton: Tisochrysis, Rhodomonas, and Tetraselmis
  • Coral foods: Reef Roids and Benepets

Target the tentacles with a turkey baster or syringe during active feeding times, often in the evening, and pause water flow for 10–15 minutes so the coral can capture and absorb the food.

Coloration and Settling In

Duncan color is influenced by stable water parameters, proper lighting, and supplemental feeding. Duncans are relatively fast growers compared to many LPS species, but they still need time to settle into a new environment. Consistent calcium and alkalinity, plus a balanced diet of fine-particle and meaty foods, keep growth steady and colors vivid.

Common Duncan Coral Challenges

  • Tissue retraction: insufficient flow or poor water quality can cause the fleshy polyps to retract and limit feeding; provide moderate, random flow
  • Bleaching: sudden changes in light intensity or overly bright light; acclimate gradually to new lighting
  • Slow recovery after damage: an injured polyp takes time to heal; stable parameters and targeted feeding support regeneration
  • Debris accumulation: tentacle-like polyps can trap debris, leading to stress or tissue damage without adequate flow

How We Farm Our Duncan Frags

We select robust mother colonies with excellent coloration and growth, then cut branches into frags with coral band saws for clean edges that heal quickly. Each frag is mounted on a plug with reef-safe glue or epoxy. After fragging, the corals receive frequent feedings of nutrient-rich foods to speed recovery and encourage healthy tissue.

How to Acclimate a Duncan Coral Frag

Good duncan coral care continues after the coral arrives. These steps help minimize stress:

  1. Temperature: float the bag in your aquarium for 15–20 minutes to equalize temperature.
  2. Drip acclimation (optional): you can gradually mix tank water with the coral's shipping water, though Duncans generally adapt quickly without it.
  3. Lighting: start in a lower-light area or reduce intensity, then increase light over 2–3 weeks to prevent bleaching.
  4. Placement: secure the frag on rockwork or a stable ledge with reef-safe glue or epoxy, in moderate, random flow.

Related Products and Guides

FAQs Common questions about TSA Booberry Duncan Coral

Why does my Booberry Duncan Coral stay closed for days after a move?

Duncanopsammia axifuga often sulks after shipping or rapid parameter shifts. Dim the lights 20–30% and increase gradually, aim for moderate, indirect flow, and keep alk/calcium stable. Check for vermetid snails irritating polyps and siphon any detritus from the cups. Offer small mysis once polyps peek out. If tissue sloughs or smells foul, perform an iodine dip and increase aeration to head off brown jelly.

Do Booberry Duncans need high PAR to keep their blue/purple tones?

No. Moderate PAR (80–150) with a blue-leaning spectrum supports fluorescence without bleaching or retraction. Keep nutrients non-zero (NO3 ~5–15 ppm, PO4 ~0.03–0.10 ppm); ultra-low nutrients often dull color and slow growth. Maintain stable alkalinity 8–9 dKH. Sudden jumps in intensity can cause tight retraction—use a light acclimation schedule and watch for lighter skirts as an early warning.

My colony grows tall and shades lower heads—how can I guide the shape?

Trim topmost branches periodically and rotate the colony weekly to balance light exposure. Angle cross-flow so it wraps around the colony, clearing detritus from inner cups. Target feed shaded heads to encourage splitting lower on the skeleton. Mount on a ledge or island so branches can expand radially rather than stacking upward, reducing self-shading while keeping the base ventilated.

Are clowns or nearby corals a problem for Booberry Duncans?

Short sweepers limit reach, but the sting can irritate softies; leave 2–3 inches of space. Avoid placement near aggressive LPS (e.g., galaxea, torches) that can outcompete it. Persistent clownfish hosting may keep polyps retracted and lead to recession; redirect clowns with a surrogate (e.g., large toadstool) or move the Duncan. Watch for vermetid webs and relocate if filament nets settle on the polyps.
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SKU: AWxBooberry

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