Hammer coral help

[Jbissell1289]

So I’ve had this head almost a year and maybe 3-4 months ago there was some recession on one side. It’s seemed to be happy and recovering until the past few days were the tentacles in one section has been shorter and darker as well as what look like dimples next to the mouth.

the one under blues shows the dimples the best.

should I pull it and do an iodine dip? Any other suggestions?

t

 

[Joker]

It kinda looks like its trying to split. It probably would have split a while ago but where something went wrong in the past it splitting got put on hold until now. I have a torch that looks kind of like yours.

 

[Jbissell1289]

It kinda looks like its trying to split. It probably would have split a while ago but where something went wrong in the past it splitting got put on hold until now. I have a torch that looks kind of like yours.

That’s what I’m hoping and good to know! It is a monster of a head of hammer. Bigger than my 3 headed toxic hammer combined, granted those are indo and this one is Aussie.

How long does it usually take to start seeing two distinct mouths?

 

[Joker]

That’s what I’m hoping and good to know! It is a monster of a head of hammer. Bigger than my 3 headed toxic hammer combined, granted those are indo and this one is Aussie.

How long does it usually take to start seeing two distinct mouths?

You dont see 2 mouths already or even just the 1 mouth really stretched out?

 

[Jbissell1289]

You dont see 2 mouths already or even just the 1 mouth really stretched out?

Not yet just pulling down toward the lower right.

 

[Joker]

Not yet just pulling down toward the lower right.

This is weird. Is it branching or wall? How much flow is it getting? What kind of lights? What are your parameters?

 

[Jbissell1289]

This is weird. Is it branching or wall? How much flow is it getting? What kind of lights? What are your parameters?

It’s a branching. But I think I found atleast some of the issue. I’m honestly a bit embarrassed, but here are the levels:

cal: 460
Phos: 1-2
dKH: 9
Nitrate: 10-20

lost my test kit color chart so had to find them online, thus the range for phosphate and nitrate. Gonna use the rest of my rodi for a water change once my son is asleep and retest. Probably 2-3 gallons for an evo 13.5 gallon.

 

[Geo_6]

It’s a branching. But I think I found atleast some of the issue. I’m honestly a bit embarrassed, but here are the levels:

cal: 460
Phos: 1-2
dKH: 9
Nitrate: 10-20

lost my test kit color chart so had to find them online, thus the range for phosphate and nitrate. Gonna use the rest of my rodi for a water change once my son is asleep and retest. Probably 2-3 gallons for an evo 13.5 gallon.

What is your temperature? I had recently an issue with my hammer and trachy and at the end I figured it was a too high temp thing. 29 celsius

 

[Jbissell1289]

What is your temperature? I had recently an issue with my hammer and trachy and at the end I figured it was a too high temp thing. 29 celsius

I run it 79-80, so 26ish C. Small tank so hard to maintain at an exact temp. Seriously considering inkbird controller though.

 

[Geo_6]

I run it 79-80, so 26ish C. Small tank so hard to maintain at an exact temp. Seriously considering inkbird controller though.

Temperature sounds good. Do you top.off?

 

[Jbissell1289]

Temperature sounds good. Do you top.off?

Yep

 

[Geo_6]

Yep

Do you add a little bit of buffer in the top.off to aVoid sudden fluctuations of chem parameters e.g. pH. Considering it is a small tank...

 

[theone]

IME, hammers tend to not do well as a whole. If they don't like a water parameter, it's usually the whole head that retracts. this looks like either a split (but its branching), too much flow and/or light, or it reaching out and touching those pallys.

 

[Jbissell1289]

Do you add a little bit of buffer in the top.off to aVoid sudden fluctuations of chem parameters e.g. pH. Considering it is a small tank...

Top off in the tank is minimal... a cup per week or so. I have very little evaporation with the stock lid.

 

[Jbissell1289]

IME, hammers tend to not do well as a whole. If they don't like a water parameter, it's usually the whole head that retracts. this looks like either a split (but its branching), too much flow and/or light, or it reaching out and touching those pallys.

I was wondering if it might be the palys, but they have grown around it and don’t get too close. And the hammer has been there in that spot for 8-10 months i’d say. Don’t branching hammers split as well?

 

[Jbissell1289]

Did a 2.5 gallon water change last night then tested levels. DKH went up to a solid 9, everything else stayed the same. Are the api tests really that inaccurate or is a 2.5 gallon water change not enough in this case?

 

[Jbissell1289]

Update: hammer was in really rough shape last night. Finally got a chance to dip this afternoon. Did a half hour iodine dip and 20% water change at the same time. Pre and post dip pics below.

 

[theone]

branching hammers can still split when they are that small, like trumpets and acans. Then they start to branch on healthy skeleton.

Are there two mouths now? Looks like it in the picture

 

[Jbissell1289]

branching hammers can still split when they are that small, like trumpets and acans. Then they start to branch on healthy skeleton.

Are there two mouths now? Looks like it in the picture

View attachment 151080

I think it was big enough(roughly the diameter of a softball) and about to split, but still a single mouth. And tissue and tentacles started to fall off on the right side of it in that picture. That’s when I decided it wasn’t just splitting and to dip it.

 

[theone]

How is it doing?