Hammer Corals

[Apple5150]

I purchased a hammer on Saturday at the meeting, and it still has not opened up, and I am getting worried. Has anyone had problems getting them to open up. My water tests good, 1.023 salinty, 0 amonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates. I have it placed about 15 inches from my PC lights. The tank temp is at 79 right now, I am going to try raising it to 82. I feed cyclopleaze every other day. Not sure why it is not opening yet. any suggestiongs?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Apple, could you please give the calcium and alkalinity? I think it will come out of it. Your coral just left one type of lighting to go to another. Ask the person that you got coral from what type of lighting he had, area he place it in. Its a good rule of thumb to place coral low and work it up slowly. Is the coral directly in flow? Sometimes a coral just needs to put low in low or moderate flow and it will snap out of it. Could you please give some input on your alkalinity and calcium? If you fear something wrong, its always good to do a water change with water same temperature, salinity and add it to sump or moderately in area not to stress animals. I wish you luck.
Sincerely,
Ed

Get that bucket out with RO/DI water, mix your salt with power head, heat it up to same temperature, measure your salinity with refractomer, when its the same salinity as tank, and temperture add it slowly to your tank. Your animals will love ya

 

[cliffscorals]

I keep several Euphylia (hammers, frogspawns, torches) and I can vouch for their loving frequent water changes. Do a 20% water change and it should perk right up. Were the polyps out at the fishstore before you bought it? They like to eat mysis shrimp and small chunks of Formula One but don't overfeed them (1 a week maybe twice). I have mine under 3 96 watt PCompacts in a 50 gal tank.

 

[Blazer88]

Is it in a high-flow area?

 

[jesshimom]

Your salinity is a bit low. I bet the store was closer to 1.025. I wouldnt raise the temp. It's been my experience iwth my torches and such anything over 80 and they don't look too happy.

 

[tony2005]

try getting it up closer to the light and make sure the coral has moderate current.my hammer is on the highest pt in my tank and it does have the current it needs and plus i just got my hammer coral 2 day ago from pioneer west

tony

 

[Apple5150]

THanks guys. I had it in a spot pretty close to the lights and it didnt seem to matter. I am wondering if I have enough light for him. I have 2x65 PC, with actinics running at the same time. I didnt change the temp, and so far no change. He was located at about half way at the store, but it looked like the store was only running PC's too, so not sure what is going on. I hope it pulls out, its been almost a week.

 

[Elmo18]

Hi Paris.

I'm sorry you are having troubles with the hammer. My experience with Euphyllids has been they need at least PC/VHO lighting and can be acclimated to MH lighting.

I currently have a fairly large 'torch' coral, and when fully open, it is only 2-3" below the water under 2x55 watt PCs.

I would actually move the coral up, give it a slow low flow for the time being. Look for any sign of 'jelling'...as brown jelly is notorious with Euphyllids. Keep the temp at 79-81, and I wouldn't increase it.

Other than that...and the obvious 'good' water quality, it should open up. What did it look like at the store? opened?

Best,
Ilham

 

[Apple5150]

Iham,

It has started with the brown jelly. Is that a good sign? I have it under PC's right now, about 12" from the lighting, in a somewhat low flow area that gets spurts of water movement from the powerhead. Should I just give it time? It was fully open when I bought it Saturday evening. I have the temp at 79 right now, have always kept it right about htere, sometimes it creeps up to 80 during the early evening after light has been on all day. Thanks everyone for all their advice!

Paris

 

[Elmo18]

Paris,

Brown jelly is never good on any Euphyllid corals.

Is this a Euphyllia parancora (branching hammer) or a Euphyllia ancora (wall-type hammer) ? If it is the former, I would advise you break off the branch, possibly get rid of it, or place it in a substitute tank.

When brown jelly spreads further, you will have a very slim chance.
Keep us updated.

Best,
Ilham

 

[Apple5150]

I think it is the second one, Euphyllia ancora. The slim has been very minimal, but none the less it has appeared a couple of times. It has looked like it was starting to come out, but then it was time to turn the lights out, and was sunk back in the next morning. I'm not sure what has happened, I bought a flower pot that night too and it is doing great, opened up within an hour or so.

 

[hexman]

maybe you should pm eric at the shark reef and ask his advice