Hammer Coral Looks Bad

ducati1212 · 02/19/2019, 06:15 PM

I probably dont have enough info to get a good response but ill try. Have a 13 gallon nano with a fish and some inverts. I added 2 Hammer coral frags about 3 weeks ago.

Tank was fully cycled and running fine for a while.

the frags after 1 day really took off. One of the 2 got very big and healthy looking for weeks. Now last 3 days no water differences no chem changes same everything it has retracted all the way. Its still alive but its not even half its size and no arms extended at all.

Anything specific I should look at or try. My other frag seems fine its fully extended.

Before

https://flic.kr/p/2eQzaRH

After

https://flic.kr/p/2eQzcAK

Think I did the images wrong

RioReefr · 02/23/2019, 10:25 AM

I know a lot of Vets will disagree with this, but this is just own experience with having a very large hammer colony that slowly withered away (for no good reason). I tried everything until I watched a BRS video about giving corals amino acids/trace elements. After doing this, I never lost another hammer coral and get great polyp extension. I was using ReefPlus and now use AquaVitro Fuel.

CAPT_Dave · 02/23/2019, 12:10 PM

+1 on feeding. Coral need light for the energy to fuel metabolic processes, Ca, Alk, and Mg for their skeletons, and food for the flesh that covers those skeletons. They don't need a lot of food but they do need some. Fish have pretty inefficient digestive systems so in well stocked tanks many coral get by with fish poop and detritus alone. But your tank is small and lightly stocked so they might be starving.

If Ca, All, and Mg are in order and you have adequate light for LPS, then feeding might help.

Go slow. Over feeding is worse than under feeding because something else will consume those unused nutrients: algae! Plus, too much PO4 and NO3 is bad for coral (but they do need some so 0 is also bad). Go slow and find the balance.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

02/19/2019, 06:15 PM	#1
ducati1212 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mass Posts: 604	Hammer Coral Looks Bad I probably dont have enough info to get a good response but ill try. Have a 13 gallon nano with a fish and some inverts. I added 2 Hammer coral frags about 3 weeks ago. Tank was fully cycled and running fine for a while. the frags after 1 day really took off. One of the 2 got very big and healthy looking for weeks. Now last 3 days no water differences no chem changes same everything it has retracted all the way. Its still alive but its not even half its size and no arms extended at all. Anything specific I should look at or try. My other frag seems fine its fully extended. Before https://flic.kr/p/2eQzaRH After https://flic.kr/p/2eQzcAK Think I did the images wrong

02/23/2019, 12:10 PM	#3
CAPT_Dave Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 157	+1 on feeding. Coral need light for the energy to fuel metabolic processes, Ca, Alk, and Mg for their skeletons, and food for the flesh that covers those skeletons. They don't need a lot of food but they do need some. Fish have pretty inefficient digestive systems so in well stocked tanks many coral get by with fish poop and detritus alone. But your tank is small and lightly stocked so they might be starving. If Ca, All, and Mg are in order and you have adequate light for LPS, then feeding might help. Go slow. Over feeding is worse than under feeding because something else will consume those unused nutrients: algae! Plus, too much PO4 and NO3 is bad for coral (but they do need some so 0 is also bad). Go slow and find the balance. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 120 g mixed reef

02/23/2019, 10:25 AM	#2
RioReefr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 394	I know a lot of Vets will disagree with this, but this is just own experience with having a very large hammer colony that slowly withered away (for no good reason). I tried everything until I watched a BRS video about giving corals amino acids/trace elements. After doing this, I never lost another hammer coral and get great polyp extension. I was using ReefPlus and now use AquaVitro Fuel.