Hammer Coral - Can't keep them

[MeghanisradxD]

I've got several corals in my tank. Torch, Duncan, Frogspawn, Birdsnest, trumpet and they all are healthy and have great growth except my hammers. Every single time I put one in my tank, they shrivel up and turn to rock within 2 days. I don't get it.

Anybody have ideas as to what could be causing only the hammers to do this? Is there something specific to this species that I am not doing? I originally thought it was a flow issue, so I have tried a few different places in the tank from medium flow to low flow, up top and bottom,but still not happy at all.

Need ideas if anybody has them. Thanks!

Salinity is 1.024
Nitrate and Nitrite is 0
Ammonia is a little high between 0 and 0.25 - will do a water change in a few minutes.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

This makes absolutely no sense! Hammers are Euphyllia as are torch's and Frogspawn, and as such need the same exact requirements that they do.

As far as your test showing ammonia I think you are getting a false positive. Retest your water against a different kit

 

[MeghanisradxD]

I am with you...it is driving me absolutely nuts.

I was thinking the Ammonia was a false positive..It's an API kit and I know they are known for that. Either way, it's time for a water change.

I'm going to run and grab a calcium and magnesium test kit just to see what it gives me.

 

[Webmanny]

Tell us a bit more about your temperature and placement of this hammer please.

Also, is it wall or branching out have you tried both?

 

[Tweaked]

Wall hammer?

 

[goreef170]

I also have problems with Wall Hammers's, not sure why, so I just buy branching Hammers which do fine….

 

[Tweaked]

because getting a healthy specimen is hard.

 

[goreef170]

because getting a healthy specimen is hard.

I guess"¦. So I will stick with branching types"¦.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

My wall hammer is doing fantastic. It was fragged right before I got it

 

[goreef170]

My wall hammer is doing fantastic. It was fragged right before I got it

View attachment 328101

Great ! Did you get it from lfs or a reefers tank ?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I've got a buddy that has a side business selling coral frags etc. I hesitated for a week before I went back and got it. I too have had issues with wall hammers and frogspawn. This one has been amazing

 

[goreef170]

Its nice to have a good go to guy that you can trust

 

[Tweaked]

My wall hammer is doing fantastic. It was fragged right before I got it

View attachment 328101

Have you had it 6-8 weeks yet?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Pretty close to that, why do you ask

It eats like a pig too

 

[soeminpaing]

Hammer Coral - Can't keep them

In my case, torch are more sensitive compare to hammer. They all suffer from brown jelly disease. Be gentle with handling and transportation. If the tissue got damage, brown jelly can set in and once it occured the coral is doomed. I also used to frag wall hammer using just chisel and hammer. They are quite resilient. Once healed it is one of the toughest coral.

 

[goreef170]

Pretty close to that, why do you ask

It eats like a pig too

Because I think, thats the time frame when they start to go south

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Well it was cut a month before I got it and I've had it almost two months. I'm thinking it's out of the woods.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

In my case, torch are more sensitive compare to hammer. They all suffer from brown jelly disease. Be gentle with handling and transportation. If the tissue got damage, brown jelly can set in and once it occured the coral is doomed. I also used to frag wall hammer using just chisel and hammer. They are quite resilient. Once healed it is one of the toughest coral.

Love the tank! :thumbsup:

 

[Reef Bass]

Salinity is 1.024
Nitrate and Nitrite is 0
Ammonia is a little high between 0 and 0.25 - will do a water change in a few minutes.

When keeping hard corals such as Euphyllia, one needs to keep an eye on alk, ca and mag. I would investigate your levels of those.

 

[level65druid]

from my past experience, once you get a wall hammer acclimated and in good health, they are far more bulletproof and less finicky about water quality and lights, flow etc supposed to the branching hammer. Even if you get a healthy branching specimen, its a crap shoot, a slight rise or decline in phos or difference in water chemistry they usually start looking bad and start to stn. Plus wall hammers in my opinion are a lot more hardy if you start with a healthy specimen.