Evolution of a Hammer Coral

[chrisfont23]

The growth of my hammer coral over the last 3 years. These were taken in my original 29 Gallon and then when things outgrew themselves, my current 90 Gallon tank. For all the newbies, I had NO IDEA what I was doing either when I started, but if you have patience, a little will go a long way.

I figured I would share the growth story. Pretty cool:

5 Dollar Frag purchased on 3/4/2011. I put it in the center of my old 29 gallon. It remains the centerpiece of my 90 gallon almost 3 years later

6/17/2012 - I experimented with a lot of flow bouncing off the walls. Seemed to settle in with indirect, medium, irregular flow.

11/2012: If you look to the bottom-ish, to the right you can see it splitting (small bubble)

April 22, 2013:

 

[chrisfont23]

3/16/2013 or almost 2 years

This is where the hammer starts to hit the glass. In the next few shots, you can see it start to grow more like an oval.

Getting more oval shape by 6/2013

Present day

 

[maroonman]

that turned out to be a nice looking piece. Great growth.

 

[MondoBongo]

awesome piece.

how large would you say it is across?

 

[reefer999]

Nice progression shots. :thumbsup:

 

[chrisfont23]

awesome piece.

how large would you say it is across?

Roughly 10 inches.

 

[RennyRen]

Gorgeous, lovely to see the growth over the time!

 

[radksa]

Wow, very nice piece. Seemed a little bland in the first pick, but by the end looks like a show piece. This illustrates why I think people who just frag like crazy miss the boat, there is something to the skill and patience it takes to make a small frag into a large colony. Thanks for sharing,
Scott

 

[MondoBongo]

Roughly 10 inches.

fantastic.

for me one of the best parts of the hobby is taking a small colony or frag and watching it grow out over time in to something much larger. :dance:

 

[Rokwell33]

that turned out to be a nice looking piece. Great growth.

Where is the mouth located on a walling hammer?

 

[WeNeverSleep]

Love progression shots. Very nice!

 

[chrisfont23]

Where is the mouth located on a walling hammer?

I usually don't see mouths, rather they split after forming a bubble.

 

[Rokwell33]

I usually don't see mouths, rather they split after forming a bubble.

So how do u target feed

 

[chrisfont23]

So how do u target feed

I don't target feed any of my Euphyllia, including the hammer you see, my torch or any of the other 5 types of hammer corals I have. In my opinion, it is not as necessary as the correct light and flow. A torch coral for example, has mouths and from time to time I see it catch something but rarely do I ever se it engulf food like a duncan or a blasto would. Hope that helps.

 

[Rokwell33]

I don't target feed any of my Euphyllia, including the hammer you see, my torch or any of the other 5 types of hammer corals I have. In my opinion, it is not as necessary as the correct light and flow. A torch coral for example, has mouths and from time to time I see it catch something but rarely do I ever se it engulf food like a duncan or a blasto would. Hope that helps.

Ok. Is there still a fast growth rate without feeding in your experience

 

[Usernam Invalid]

Great progression pics

 

[chrisfont23]

Ok. Is there still a fast growth rate without feeding in your experience

The pics would indicate that no? I think supplemental feeding helped my Duncans (30-40 heads) and my blastomussa as well as my plate, my candy canes, my platygyra and of course, my scoly. My two rock anemones and my rose tip are fed too. The rest of my tank - including a variety of mushrooms, zoas, leathers - get whatever they can from the water column and are not target fed.

 

[chrisfont23]

Great progression pics

Thanks

 

[Rokwell33]

Thanks

Is it a branching hammer

 

[coville]

How often do you feed, and have noted anything that works better? My I have a hammer that just hasn't been happy over a year, maybe it's just my frag but any advice on that would be great.