Skip to main content

Duncan Coral

Duncanopsammia axifuga(Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848)Species

LPS coral with round flower-like polyps. Responds well to feeding — fun to watch eat. Relatively hardy and growing in popularity.

Duncan Coral (Duncanopsammia axifuga)
© KazvorpalCC BY-SA 3.0Source

Fluorescence appearance

Duncan Coral under white light
Under white light
Duncan Coral under blue light (fluorescence)
Under blue light (fluorescence)※AI-rendered image

Coral fluorescent proteins are excited by blue/actinic light. Appearance differs greatly from under white light.

Names & Synonyms

  • CommonDuncan Coral
  • Commonダンカンコーラル
  • SynonymDendrophyllia axifuga

Overview

Duncan coral (Duncanopsammia axifuga, family Dendrophylliidae) is the sole species of its genus, native to reef slopes of northwestern Australia and southern Japan. Colonies produce numerous large polyps (2–4 cm diameter) in shades of green, brown, and purple that extend multiple tentacles in a whisker-like display—hence its alternative common name, "whisker coral." Duncan coral is straightforward to keep under low to moderate lighting (100–200 PAR) with gentle indirect flow. It responds eagerly to target feeding of brine shrimp or small meaty foods one to two times per week, rewarding hobbyists with rapid colony expansion and easy fragging.

Care Specifications

TypeLPS
Temperature24〜27℃
Specific gravity1.023〜1.025
Salinity33〜35 ppt
KH (carbonate hardness)8〜12 dKH
Calcium (Ca)400〜450 mg/L
Magnesium (Mg)1280〜1350 mg/L
LightingMedium
Water flowMedium
PlacementMiddle

Care Points

  • LightingLow to moderate
  • FlowLow to moderate indirect flow
  • FeedingFeed 2-3 times weekly for faster growth
  • PropagationNew heads form continuously
  • NotesStrong light may prevent polyps from opening

Regulatory & Conservation

CITES:
Appendix II
Notes:
イシサンゴ目(Duncanopsammia axifuga, Dendrophylliidae)。CITES 附属書II。

Sources

Related corals of the same type

Related care articles

Get this species

Buy livestock directly from breeders and specialist shops on BreederDirect (br-choku), our sister marketplace for corals and marine fish.

* Opens an external site (BreederDirect / br-choku, Japanese) in a new tab.

External Databases