Hammer coral not fully extending

[cyrusmon]

So I've had my hammer coral for quite some time now and is been doing great, it looks very full and healthy. But recently the polyps haven't been extending fully for a few days now. Is this normal or should i be worried about it.

 

Before

http://s1013.photobucket.com/user/cyrusslr/media/IMG_0546.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

 

 

After

http://s1013.photobucket.com/user/cyrusslr/media/IMG_0589.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[gonebad395]

How long your clown been messing around it could be a reason

[Mariaface]

Check every parameter you have a test for? Alk is a big one. Then phosphates/nitrates, calcium, salinity, temperature, etc

[Clown79]

I have clowns hosting a frogspawn and its never closed up.

 

I would check alk, ca, mag. Nitrates and phos are good too.

 

Any flow changes?

[tetraodon]

my hammer tucks in like that when it splits, give it a couple more days and it should good. but double check params to make sure its not another issue.

[Pjanssen]

Alk and salinity swings are detrimental

[telsonman]

Mine has been staying tucked it for about 5 days now. I'm going to do a big water change this weekend. I had a massive diatom bloom come up and I think it had some affect on it.

[Clown79]

Diatoms really shouldn't cause issues. Its either parameter swings, flow, or even splitting

[cyrusmon]

Check every parameter you have a test for? Alk is a big one. Then phosphates/nitrates, calcium, salinity, temperature, etc

 

 

I have clowns hosting a frogspawn and its never closed up.

 

I would check alk, ca, mag. Nitrates and phos are good too.

 

Any flow changes?

 

i checked my parameters and they all seem to be good. My pH, temp, salinity, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite are all normal.

There hasn't been a change in flow and my clownfish don't host in it and i do regular water changes.

Today i noticed some slime excreting from it:

http://s1013.photobu...html?sort=3&o=1

http://s1013.photobu...html?sort=3&o=0

 

Any ideas?

[Clown79]

Its good those are all in normal range but testing alk, ca, and mag are the most important. Your corals rely on those 3 elements to grow and live.

 

Any fluctuations in those 3, will lead to problems and then death

[cyrusmon]

Its good those are all in normal range but testing alk, ca, and mag are the most important. Your corals rely on those 3 elements to grow and live.

 

Any fluctuations in those 3, will lead to problems and then death

 

 

I don't have a test kit for those 3, any suggestions

[Mariaface]

I don't know what you consider 'fine' or 'normal', so it's best to post your exact test results. Please try and get alk, cal, and mag test kits - hopefully something accurate, like Salifert or Red Sea at least. API kits may not get you the accuracy you need.

 

From the behavior I'm seeing, it's expelling zooxanthellae. Possibly a response to high light or high alk in relation to nutrient levels (did you replace carbon or other chemical filtration recently?), possibly just a response to stress.

 

If you're not using carbon, other corals in the tank may also be causing some allelopathy - they release chemicals that ward other corals away, similar to what plants do. Without some carbon to minimize this stress between water changes, it can cause issues.