Hammer Coral

Spyderturbo007

Spyderturbo007

New member
I'm considering buying my first piece of coral tonight and was looking at a medium to large hammer coral. The tank is a 55g with ~20g sump, with 4 x T5 HO's at 54 watts each. It's been up for about 3 weeks post cycle and has an established CUC.

I started it with about 60lbs of live rock and have the following water parameters (at last test):

  • Temp = 79.7 degrees F
  • Ammonia = 0ppm
  • Nitrates = 2.5ppm
  • Nitrites = 0ppm
  • pH = 8.2
  • Alkalinity = 10.25 KH
  • Salinity = 1.025
  • Calcium = 385ppm
  • Phosphates = 0.00ppm
  • Magnesium = 1,380ppm

I did a water change yesterday, so I'm sure they have changed a little. From reading, my water parameters are in line and my tank should be a fine environment for starter corals. Is that correct?

My understanding is that Hammer coral doesn't attach to a rock like other corals. How do I go about attaching one to a rock especially if I buy one that is considered large? Every one I've seen always has an unusually shaped base and looks like it would take about 9 gallons of super glue and 25lbs of reef putty to secure. :)

Can you just stick them in the sand or will the snails knock them over?

I've read that they sting, but that just applies to other corals and not fish, correct? I have a purple Fire Fish in QT right now, but she isn't due out for another 2 weeks. I just don't want her to get injured.

Oh, and while I'm bombarding everyone with questions, do my water parameters look sufficient to support what the LFS has labeled as a Hawaiian Feather Duster? If so, I'm assuming I don't want to dip them in CoralRx since it's actually a worm, right?
 
If the hammer is a branching type I would find a rock with a hole or crevasse and just insert the base into the void. The base is like a stick.

I personally would dip the worm. It's not actually a worm. The calcium secretions form a wormlike structure.
 
Actually the one I was looking at isn't labeled as a branching hammer. Can that one just be stuck in the sand?

Are the feather dusters pretty easy to keep?
 
feather dusters are relatively easy to keep. They do stress rather easily, so don't move them very much once they are in your tank or they will leave their tube or the crowns will fall off. I have three and I feed them reef snow (a liquid)
 
Spyderturbo007 said:
Actually the one I was looking at isn't labeled as a branching hammer. Can that one just be stuck in the sand?
Click to expand...

They wont always be specific whether or not it's a branching-type... but you'll know when you see it...

Either way.. try to place it in such a way that, when its flesh is fully extended... it won't rub against anything.. sand.. rock.. tank wall... etc.

And yes, Hammers can be agressive... a large one can extend 'sweeper' tentacles up to at least 5-6 inches in all directions that will sting other corals.. so plan accordingly... It shouldnt hurt your fish, though..
 
Well, I got what was labeled as an Australian Purple Tip Hammer and it is gorgeous! I think I sat there for about 45 minutes staring at it in the dark last night. :)

It looks like it has two "heads" if that's the proper terminology. I couldn't take a picture last night because I was following the instructions and keeping off the lights. It was killing me to do that though because I just wanted to look at my new purchase.

I had a 30% off any invert or coral coupon so I got it down from the $149.99 to $105 so I thought it was a good deal. I just can't get over how cool it looked in the store. Hopefully it will look as good in my tank.

I cut back to only 2 of the T5 bulbs today which is the best I can do to acclimate it to the light. For now I just stuck him in the sand until I decide on placement, which brings up some more questions.

  • Do I have to put this thing so it's tentacles are horizontal with respect to the lights?
  • Can it be at an angle where some of the tentacles might be shaded a little by the other tentacles?
  • How do I know where to put the coral as far as height in the tank?
  • Should I epoxy it down where I want it right off the bat or do I try to stick it in the general area until I know it likes it in that spot?
  • If I do super glue / epoxy it in place and I want to frag it later, how do I remove it from the rock?
 
Spyderturbo007 said:
[*]Do I have to put this thing so it's tentacles are horizontal with respect to the lights?
[*]Can it be at an angle where some of the tentacles might be shaded a little by the other tentacles?
Click to expand...

You should be able to put it at an angle (as long as some of the heads aren't completely shaded) for better viewing/placement with no worries.

QUOTE=Spyderturbo007;20553905]
[*]How do I know where to put the coral as far as height in the tank?
[/QUOTE]

I have seen hammers adapt to a wide range of lighting. From med/high placement under halides, to low placement under PCs. Just make sure if you place them higher in the tank that you acclimate them to it. Flow should be more of a determining factor. You don't want to blast them with direct high flow as this could damage tissue.

QUOTE=Spyderturbo007;20553905]
[*]Should I epoxy it down where I want it right off the bat or do I try to stick it in the general area until I know it likes it in that spot?
[*]If I do super glue / epoxy it in place and I want to frag it later, how do I remove it from the rock?
[/LIST][/QUOTE]

If there is a suitable spot to wedge the base of the branches with no chance of it tipping over you shouldn't need to epoxy it right away. As for the fragging later, you can usually cut a branch loose later without having to remove it from its place. Just make sure you cut about 2-1/2" to 3" down from any head. It will be dead skeleton down at this level.
 
Just realized I don't know how to get multiple quotes in a single post. Anyone know how this is done? Sorry to derail post for a minute.
 
The subsequent quotes are missing the leading [

The format goes like this

[ QUOTE=UserName]Insert quote text here[/QUOTE]

Then you type your response here

[ QUOTE=UserName]Insert second quote text here[/QUOTE]

Type response to second quote here.....and so on.

You'll notice I have a space between [ and QUOTE. I had to do that so the forum software doesn't actually quote what I have listed there. So you'll need to remove the space when quoting the message.
 
No problem. Thanks for helping with my questions. I'm going to put the Hammer coral where I want it and just try and jam it in there for now to see how it likes that spot. I'll epoxy it down after awhile if it's doing well.

Do I need to feed the hammer? I've read people saying that it doesn't require feeding, but they do it anyway. I was looking at the BRS Reef Chili.

 
Last edited:
Looks like a great spot for it, good indirect current and in the middle for plenty of light. I have never spot fed my two hammers and the oldest one has gone from two heads to about 28 (haven't counted in a while). I do use reef chili, but for the other corals in tank. Don't know for sure if hammer benefits since it appears to have no true mouth, but i'm no biology expert.
 
You've never noticed the mouth in the center of your hammer's heads? Each one has one.

My hammers enjoy being fed and grow more rapidly.
 
As it u you first coral, I wouldn't worry too much about epoxy yet, HOWEVER, when you get other corals know that if it falls on something, it will likely kill it.

Also, where in PA are you located? I'm in Pottsville (17901). You can check out the NCPARS and Delaware Valley forums. Sadly they seem to be for sale forums lately but not always
 
Everything looked great today and it was gorgeous when I got home from work. After the lights went out it retracted a good bit which I've read is normal. The only issue is that there is one of the tentacles laying in the sand. Like it fell of or was pulled off.

Some of the other tentacles didn't recede but look deflated and are just dangling there. I would get a picture but my camera chokes with the blue moon lights.
 
Reef Bass said:
You've never noticed the mouth in the center of your hammer's heads? Each one has one.

My hammers enjoy being fed and grow more rapidly.
Click to expand...

I guess I haven't, I used to try and spot feed it with FM LPS pellets & small chunks of shrimp, squid, scallop (little bits of left overs from feeding my eel). I never once witnessed it grabbing a piece and bringing it to its mouth. Both hammers I bought had very small heads right from the start, I would say between a nickel and quarter in size. And haven't grown larger since. Don't know if that makes a difference, other than the mouth may just be to hard to see as it is so small. Both are growing well though, purple/green has gone from two to 28 heads, and the solid green (haven't had it as long) has gone from 3 to about 12.
 
I also feed my hammers fm lps pellets, and chopped mysis or krill. The feeding response isn't as action packed as say an anenome tentacle or favia sweeper grabbing something, but they can and do grab on and work the captured item towards the center of the head. I often turn off current when I feed them. Makes it easier to "drop" / place food on them.

It does sound as though yours are growing well. Good job.
 
Reef Bass said:
I also feed my hammers fm lps pellets, and chopped mysis or krill. The feeding response isn't as action packed as say an anenome tentacle or favia sweeper grabbing something, but they can and do grab on and work the captured item towards the center of the head. I often turn off current when I feed them. Makes it easier to "drop" / place food on them.

.
Click to expand...

I'm encouraged and a bit suprised to hear that... I have had zero luck feeding my Euphilia sp. but then I have never tried it with pumps off... Have you had any success with Torches or Frogspawn?
 
Also going to try with pumps off. Thanks. It's always amazes me when something so simple is overlooked as an option, but once someone else mentions it, you just have to laugh and wonder how it evaded you.
 
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