Duncan Coral Growth Rate|How Fast Do Duncans Grow?

You bought a Duncan coral, and you wonder how fast it will grow? If so, you are in the right place. You will learn about the Duncan coral growth rate, what you should do to increase its growth and how fast it will happen.

The Duncan coral is my favorite LPS coral in my reef tank. It has five large heads and many small ones growing bigger each day. 

When I first got it had two large and three small heads. In the two months that the Duncan had been in my tank, it almost doubled in size. 

I contribute that growth to several factors, which I will discuss in this article.

Without furder ado, let’s get started.

How fast do Duncan corals grow?

Duncans are one of the fastest-growing LPS corals. They can grow from a small one-head frag to a full-grown ten-head colony in less than a year.

However, fast growth is not guaranteed. The Duncan growth rate will depend on so many factors. Not all tanks have the same conditions and same equipment.

For example, the Duncan coral I bought was in my local fish store for a couple of months, and it was a slow grower. 

Once I bought it started to grow larger and larger with each day that passed. This Duncan coral loved my tank conditions.

How long does it take for Duncan to grow a new head?

I can’t speak with certainty, but based on my experience, the Duncan coral will start sprouting new heads as soon as it acclimates to the new tank conditions.

Of course, this will depend on other factors, as well. These corals are slow growers in tanks with poor water quality. Duncan corals are excellent indicators of tank water parameters. 

If it is something off in your tank, they will close and won’t open until you solve the issue. Duncans require stability first and foremost.

If you have a mature and stable reef tank, there’s no doubt that your Duncan coral will start sprouting new heads as soon as possible.

How tall do Duncan corals grow?

Duncan corals grow by branching out and developing new heads from a hard skeleton. How tall Duncans grow will depend on several factors.

Each head will grow up to 2 inches, but the vertical growth of your Duncan coral will depend on its skeletal growth. Duncan corals are fast growers, but their stems grow significantly slower.

To have faster stem growth, you need to keep your alkalinity, pH, and calcium levels stable. Stony corals deplete the alkalinity and calcium levels fast, and they need to be replete either by regular water changes or dosing.

If those water parameters are stable and constant, your Duncan coral will start branching out and slowly grow its stem.

How to accelerate the Duncan coral growth rate?

In the last couple of years, the price of corals skyrocketed. It is almost impossible to buy a coral colony unless you want to break your bank. 

And to be worse, local fish stores are selling smaller and smaller coral frags. I like the look of a large coral colony in my tank, but I can’t afford to spend that much money just for one coral. 

That’s why I buy small frags and grow them out. I was lucky and got my five-head Duncan for a reasonable price. However, I still want to see it grow into a large and massive colony. 

Here is what I do to grow my Duncan coral in a massive colony.

Nutrients

I used to make large weekly water changes, and my nitrates were barely above zero. I always strive to have detectable nitrates in my tank because many problems occur when your nitrates are bottomed out. But that is a subject for another discussion.

Once I started to do water changes every two weeks, the nitrates raised to 10, and my Duncan looked happier. I believe this was no coincidence, and my Duncan coral liked the increased nitrates in my tank.

Target feeding

I love to target feed my corals, especially the Duncan. These corals love to eat. Whenever I give food to the Duncan, it digests the food in half an hour and is ready for some more. I feed my Duncan three times a week.

I feed it with frozen brine shrimp and plan to get reef roids to see their effect on the growth rate. You can feed your Duncan with any food meant for corals.

Once I started target feeding my Duncan, I noticed new heads sprouting from its stem.

Final Thoughts

Duncan corals are one of the most desired corals in the saltwater aquarium hobby, and it’s easy to see why. 

They grow fast, look incredible, and have fantastic coloration. When it comes to ideal coral, they tick all the boxes. 

If you want to see your Duncan coral grow faster, try feeding it with meaty foods. You will be surprised how fast these corals grow.