I have had a nice group of Duncans for a couple years now (Thanks, Todd!). Spilt them a couple times, gave some away, just a nice coral that I seemed not to be able to kill.

So, it was disturbing to say the least, when i returned from a two week trip to Yellowstone to find the small colony in my small tank suddenly gone. Like 9 out of 10 heads dead.

I haven't been able to pinpoint a problem. Parameters have been good. I had folks tend to the tank while I was gone. And they even fed the corals Oyster Feast once a week. I figured it was just one of those mysteries. Until today, when I noticed something tiny and green under some rock work. I fished it out to discover it was a Duncan head unattached to anything else. It had floated into a dark corner, and so was quite closed up. I just through it (and the SEVEN others I found after really searching) on top of the reef rock, and within an hour, they were all quite extended, a few pushing an inch in diameter!

So, what gives?

Did these just detach from the colony to float away in hopes of a better location? To start a new colony? Could a fish pulled them off? A hermit crab? I have never seen anything like this one, so I'd love to hear some insight into the reasons.