ORA Duncan Coral

Quick facts

Handling caution: Mild sting from short sweeper tentacles; can irritate skin or neighboring corals

Identity

Also known as

Whisker Coral; Duncan's Coral

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Australia, Indo-Pacific

Habitat

Inhabits sandy or muddy substrates in sheltered bays and deeper reef slopes, often below 20 m, attached to hard substrate and small rubble

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Easy

Coral type

LPS

Temperament

Peaceful

Growth form

Branching

Adult size

1 – 4 in (2.5 – 10 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Low, Middle

Water

Temperature

76 – 80 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 10 dKH

Salinity

1.025 – 1.026 SG

PAR

80 – 150 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Medium

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

3 in (7.6 cm)

Colors

Green, Brown, Teal, Purple, Cream

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Carnivore

Foods

Frozen, Coral food, Zooplankton, Target-fed

Propagation

Fragging

Something wrong or missing? Submit a correction

Care guide

Overview

Suited to reef keepers wanting an easy branching LPS with reliable green tissue tone under actinic light. This aquacultured strain traces to a long-established captive lineage and forms tight polyp clusters that extend by day and night. Medium light and flow keep coloration consistent, with target feeding encouraged for polyp growth.

Care

Duncan coral is a hardy branching LPS that tolerates a wide range of light and flow, making it a common recommendation for hobbyists moving beyond soft corals. Its skeleton grows outward with individual polyps fused at the base, forming a tight cluster of fleshy heads with tentacles that extend by day and night. Keep alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium stable rather than chasing exact target numbers, since parameter swings are the most common cause of tissue recession. Mount the frag base securely on rock or in a sandbed depression, as the skeleton is brittle where it attaches.

Placement & acclimation

Acclimate to light gradually over one to a few weeks when moving to a brighter position, since sudden increases can cause bleaching. Place low to mid in the tank on a stable rock ledge or in the sandbed with the base slightly elevated to prevent abrasion and detritus buildup. A slow drip acclimation of 30-45 minutes helps reduce shock from shipping water when first introduced.

Feeding

Duncanopsammia carries zooxanthellae and gets a portion of its energy from light, but regular meaty feedings noticeably improve polyp size and coloration. Offer mysis, chopped krill, enriched brine shrimp, or other small zooplankton-sized foods a few times a week, targeting individual polyps once tentacles are extended. Feeding after lights dim or during a period of reduced flow makes it easier for the polyps to capture and hold food.

Neighbors

Sweeper tentacles are short but can sting corals placed within a few inches, so leave 2-4 inches of clearance from neighboring colonies. It is generally peaceful toward fish and reef-safe with most invertebrates, though small ornamental shrimp may attempt to steal food directly from extended polyps. Avoid placing it near aggressive corals with long sweepers or fish that habitually pick at LPS tissue.

Fragging

Colonies are fragged by cutting between individual polyp heads with a coral saw or bone cutters, then mounting each piece on a plug or rubble until tissue recovers. Because the skeleton is fused only at the base, division is straightforward compared to many other LPS species. Fragged pieces recover well when kept in stable, moderate-flow conditions with light feeding.

Pests & problems

Pale or bleached tissue usually points to excess light or insufficient feeding, while polyps that stay closed for extended periods often indicate poor flow, pest irritation, or a recent parameter shift. Brown jelly infection or rapid tissue recession can spread quickly across a colony and should be addressed by fragging away affected heads and isolating healthy tissue. New imports sometimes sulk for a week or two after shipping before polyps extend normally again.

Sources

1. ORA Duncan | Duncanopsammia axifuga | ORA | Oceans, Reefs and Aquariums
2. ORA Duncan (Duncanopsammia) | AlgaeBarn
3. Duncanopsammia axifuga (Whisker Coral, Duncan Coral) | Saltcorner
4. TSA Booberry Duncan Coral – Top Shelf Aquatics