Hammer is decaying
- Thread starter HippieSmell
- Start date
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
All right, now I'm on a mission 
. I know this is a problem for many people and I would like to know if anyone has found a cure. So, I will continue to bump this thread until I have answers .
. I know this is a problem for many people and I would like to know if anyone has found a cure. So, I will continue to bump this thread until I have answers .
CH
New member
The deal with leathers is that they give off chemicals/toxins which will affect lps and sps around them (known as chemical warfare) They can be in the same tank, but you have to be careful about placement however some leathers can affect an entire tank. This is why you usually see either a softie tank, or an all sps, lps tank.
Man, this sucks. We bought an incredible anchor, it's huge and beautiful, but it's decaying. I thought it might have gotten damaged on the ride home. It's only on one portion, but that part has completely gone, therefore I thought it might have been damaged. Now, I read that a leather coral might be the problem. Why did I ever get into this hobby?
I'll be following this thread, closely, if anyone has any more to add. The one thing that makes me think it was damaged is this is the only part that shows decay. I'll keep you guys informed.
Wayne
I'll be following this thread, closely, if anyone has any more to add. The one thing that makes me think it was damaged is this is the only part that shows decay. I'll keep you guys informed.
Wayne
waterfaller1
New member
Feed it!
aquaman67
Active member
Not to contradict Mr B. but here's a pic of my tank.
Notice to the left of the huge toadstool there is a branching hammer. To the right is a frogspawn.
Behind it is a monti cap.
Directly above it there is a pipe organ.
I have since cut the toad stool down, IN THE TANK, and everything is fine. The stump is regrowing nicely.
I'm just saying that in my experience leathers and LPS and SPS can live togehter.
This tank is three years old and the toadstool was the first coral I put in. This is the second time I've cut the Toadstool in the tank.
Notice to the left of the huge toadstool there is a branching hammer. To the right is a frogspawn.
Behind it is a monti cap.
Directly above it there is a pipe organ.
I have since cut the toad stool down, IN THE TANK, and everything is fine. The stump is regrowing nicely.
I'm just saying that in my experience leathers and LPS and SPS can live togehter.
This tank is three years old and the toadstool was the first coral I put in. This is the second time I've cut the Toadstool in the tank.
luv my garden
New member
My LFS recommended activated carbon to clean up the leather chemical toxicity. Maybe that would help.
luv my garden
New member
By the way, that's a great toadstool! Can you give more detail about cutting it in the tank?
LobsterOfJustice
Recovering Detritophobe
I dont think having a leather in the same tank would cause a hammer to decay. The leathers produce something that stunts growth.
Also, hammers are very prone to get infections, and something like bagging them up and bringing them home is usually enough to tear a piece a flesh and give room for an infection. My girlfriend bought a small 2 headed branch hammer, the next morning one head was just gone. It has since split into two, and is currently splitting into a third.
Also, hammers are very prone to get infections, and something like bagging them up and bringing them home is usually enough to tear a piece a flesh and give room for an infection. My girlfriend bought a small 2 headed branch hammer, the next morning one head was just gone. It has since split into two, and is currently splitting into a third.
clavery
New member
I've had it happen to a few hammers. Had a branching hammer that just lost one head. Then it stopped and all is well. I bought another beautiful hammer, put it in my tank, and it started to decay. So I pulled it and put it in hubby's tank, and it stopped. Let it stay in his tank for about a month, then put it back in my tank, and it's been fine for the past two months.
You can sort of see on the bottom left of the wall hammer where it lost it's tissue. But it looks great now.
Strange, huh?
You can sort of see on the bottom left of the wall hammer where it lost it's tissue. But it looks great now.
Strange, huh?
aquaman67
Active member
luv my garden said:
I took a steak knife and cut the stalk about two inches up from the bottom.
I ran Kent's Reef carbon in a HOT magnum.
I then cut the head into four pieces, like a pizza.
The pieces will attach to a rock if held by a loose rubberband or bridal vail.
Here's the GARF website with a video how-to.
http://www.garf.org/MPegs/SarcoPropagation.html
(Sorry for hi-jacking your thread. Hope your hammer gets better!)
luv my garden
New member
Sorry for going off topic. Thanks Aquaman67. I'll check it out.
Good luck with your hammer, HippieSmell.
Good luck with your hammer, HippieSmell.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
waterfaller1 said:Feed it!
Do you have experience with feeding being able to stop the decay, or are you just suggesting that it would be beneficial?
Since I started the leather dialogue(having nothing to do with kinky stuff), my precise experience was this:
In my newbie days, a couple of finger leathers were among the first critters I bought. As I learned more, I decided it was time for some lps presence on the reef. Got a beautiful hammer and a nice bubble/pearl coral. Within a week, the hammer started getting sick. Ultimately, all the soft tissue separated as the thing died.
After getting bad advice from the lfs, e.g. "That hammer was already infected", I tried another hammer. It lasted 2 weeks.
After the funeral, I was reading about genus Lobophytum in "AQUARIUM CORAL, Selection, Husbandry and Natural History" ,by Erich Borneman, RC's own guru of coral physiology. Lobophytum includes finger leather, devils hand, cabbage leather, etc. On p. 129, Dr. Borneman writes: "Many Lobophytum species can cause significant damage to stony corals without actual contact taking place. Many are considered to be in the 'most toxic' category, with more than 20 different terpenoid compounds isolated froom various species. Lobophytum pauciflorum(devils hand) is considered particulary toxic."
Was bored with leathers by then, and gave them away. Happy hammers and frogspawn to this day.
I believe all the comments about lfs living in peace and harmony with leathers. I know what works in MY reef. Ironically, I now have a ton of cabbage leather, and everybody's happy. Except I can't keep a monte cap alive to save my soul.
In my newbie days, a couple of finger leathers were among the first critters I bought. As I learned more, I decided it was time for some lps presence on the reef. Got a beautiful hammer and a nice bubble/pearl coral. Within a week, the hammer started getting sick. Ultimately, all the soft tissue separated as the thing died.
After getting bad advice from the lfs, e.g. "That hammer was already infected", I tried another hammer. It lasted 2 weeks.
After the funeral, I was reading about genus Lobophytum in "AQUARIUM CORAL, Selection, Husbandry and Natural History" ,by Erich Borneman, RC's own guru of coral physiology. Lobophytum includes finger leather, devils hand, cabbage leather, etc. On p. 129, Dr. Borneman writes: "Many Lobophytum species can cause significant damage to stony corals without actual contact taking place. Many are considered to be in the 'most toxic' category, with more than 20 different terpenoid compounds isolated froom various species. Lobophytum pauciflorum(devils hand) is considered particulary toxic."
Was bored with leathers by then, and gave them away. Happy hammers and frogspawn to this day.
I believe all the comments about lfs living in peace and harmony with leathers. I know what works in MY reef. Ironically, I now have a ton of cabbage leather, and everybody's happy. Except I can't keep a monte cap alive to save my soul.
CeeGee
New member
So you are saying that it is the finger leathers that are the most toxic? I happen to have one in my tank. I am not particularly attached to it so getting it out wouldn't be a big deal.
The toadstool on the other hand is single handedly the most eye catching in my tank it is absolutely beautiful (and interesting) and I would really hate parting with it I would rather set up another tank so that it wouldn't have to go anywhere.
Can you provide a little more information on these matters.
The reason that I ask is that I have two frogspawn a couple of SPS and a candy cane and some blastomussa merlettis that all look a little worse for wear than they did when I got them. They are all still alive but they don't look as good as they once did. Both of my leathers on the other hand look much better and have grown in their stay with me.
I am not seeing the growth that others claim in there keeping of frogspawns. My SPS seem to be growing SLIGHTLY but not at the rate I would ecpect. Mind you I am new at reefing but all of my parameters are good and I figured that something was going on I just wasn't sure what it was. This may be the answer. I have been thinking that maybe I have too much light as I am running HO T5's on a 38 gallon tank and it is really bright.
Please give me any more info that you can think of. I would really appreciate it as would my corals.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
Well, the problem I'm having doesn't have anything to do with leathers because I don't have any. So my hammer has some other problem (bacterial I'm guessing). Unless, the problem is from leathers at the LFS and the damage is still occurring. Is that possible?
