Duncan Coral Care Guide
Duncan corals are one of the friendliest LPS corals you can keep. Their long-stalked, flower-like polyps sway in the current, they eat eagerly, and a single head can grow into a full colony. They're an excellent choice for beginners ready for their first LPS.
Quick care summary
| Care need | Duncan coral |
|---|---|
| Care level | Easy |
| Lighting | Low to moderate, about 50 to 150 PAR |
| Flow | Low to moderate |
| Placement | Sand bed or lower rockwork |
| Feeding | Eager feeder; benefits from regular feeding |
| Aggression | Low; short sweeper tentacles |
Lighting
Duncans do well under low to moderate light, roughly 50 to 150 PAR. Too much light can make the polyps shrink and stay retracted. Start a new Duncan low in the tank and only move it up if it looks small and doesn't fully extend.
Water flow
Low to moderate, indirect flow is best. You want the polyps to sway gently, not bend flat. Strong direct flow keeps Duncans from fully opening and can damage their soft tissue.
Placement
Place Duncans on the sand bed or low on the rockwork. Their sweeper tentacles are short, so they're less aggressive than many LPS, but give them a few inches of space from other corals.
Feeding
Duncans are one of the most rewarding corals to feed. Their polyps grab food and pull it in within seconds. Target feed with mysis shrimp, reef roe or other small meaty foods once or twice a week. Regular feeding speeds up growth and new head production. Shop our fish and coral food, and see How to Feed Your Corals.
Water parameters
As a stony coral, Duncans need steady alkalinity (7 to 11 dKH) and calcium (400 to 450 ppm) to build their skeletons. They tolerate a range of nutrient levels, and detectable nitrate and phosphate help them thrive. See our reef tank water parameters guide.
Growth and fragging
Duncans grow by budding new heads from the base of existing ones. Over time, a colony branches into multiple stalks. To frag, cut a branch at the skeleton below the head with bone cutters, then glue it to a plug. Read our Coral Fragging 101 guide.
Warning signs
- Polyps not extending: often too much light or too much flow.
- Tissue pulling away from the skeleton: check alkalinity stability and nearby corals that may be stinging it.
- Shrinking heads: may need more food or more stable water.
Browse our Duncan coral collection.