Hammer Issue

[skyscraper2290]

So have had this hammer for about 3 months and it used to show good extension. I added 3 other hammers over the past 3 months as well and they all look great and show lots of extension and look very healthy. The issue hammer starting showing less extension about a month and a half ago and since then have moved it to 4 different spots trying to get it to open again but to no avail. It looks like it probably won’t be able to let much longer like this so looking for any input. 

 

Alk - 7.7

Ca - 405

Mg - 1300

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 2

PH - 8

Salinity - 1.025

Temp - 79

 

 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

39 minutes ago, skyscraper2290 said:

So have had this hammer for about 3 months and it used to show good extension. I added 3 other hammers over the past 3 months as well and they all look great and show lots of extension and look very healthy. The issue hammer starting showing less extension about a month and a half ago and since then have moved it to 4 different spots trying to get it to open again but to no avail. It looks like it probably won’t be able to let much longer like this so looking for any input. 

 

Alk - 7.7

Ca - 405

Mg - 1300

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 2

PH - 8

Salinity - 1.025

Temp - 79

 

 

It still has flesh so I can recover. I killed 95 percent of my hammer a month ago and its recovering and I barely see the middle now. I put my in a pretty good flow spot and it's coming back good. I would stop moving it though. They hate it. Just my little experience with them. Good luck and hope it pulls through for you. 

[skyscraper2290]

I moved it 4 times over the past month and a half and gave it a little over a week in each spot. The 4 other hammers in the tank are all doing great and have had it in the same area as those as well. 

[Clown79]

Continuing to move it means it needs to acclimate to a new location each time. It can take weeks for a coral to acclimate properly.

 

Keep it in 1 place.

 

Is your alk stable or is there fluctuations?

 

Was it in a high flow area originally?

[skyscraper2290]

The coral originally opened up within an hour of being in my tank. I only moved it because it stopped opening and after keeping it in that spot for another month and it not opening i decided to relocate it. After each time I moved it I waited at least a week if there was no sign of it opening more. I will leave it where it is from here on out though.

 

3 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Continuing to move it means it needs to acclimate to a new location each time. It can take weeks for a coral to acclimate properly.

 

Keep it in 1 place.

 

Is your alk stable or is there fluctuations?

 

Was it in a high flow area originally?

Alk is pretty stable, I do two 15% WCs each week which keeps it in a good range. I have not seen a single spike or large drop. All of my euphyllia are in a spot that I consider medium flow.

 

Here is an older picture of it back on 10/20

 

[mcarroll]

po4 levels?

[skyscraper2290]

1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

po4 levels?

It’s the one test I don’t have...

[mcarroll]

Can you take a water sample to the LFS and ask them to test?

 

Low phosphates seems to be a popular condition in new tanks, and it's known to cause stress and even mortality.

 

Here's a journal article and photo that I can't seem to quit posting...   "LP" = low phosphates "LN" = low nitrates

 

From: Phosphate deficiency promotes coral bleaching and is reflected by the ultrastructure of symbiotic dinoflagellates

A macro shot.  A micro shot of the coral tissue.  And a micro shot of a dino from that coral.

 

So I'd get your PO4 levels tested to see if that confirms the very low/zero phosphate theory for your tank.

[mcarroll]

If it's not that, my only other guess would be physical damage...probably a resulting infection as well.  That's pure guesswork tho....it's a coral that's susceptible to damage since it's so fleshy.

 

I'd suggest that PO4-limitation is more likely and easier to fix....so I'd actually hope that's the case. 😉

[skyscraper2290]

Thanks a bunch! I’ll either get it tested at a LFS today or just pick up a test!

[skyscraper2290]

Picked up the salifert phosphate kit today and did two separate tests and it looked like it was  at .03 on both tries. That may be a bit low and is most likely from using NoPox twice a week after nub WC’s. 

 

Here is just a quick quick phone pic of the other hammers in the tank.

[Tamberav]

I would probably do an iodine dip, since the other hammers seem okay, my guess is it got damaged somehow. 

 

I have had one come back from what appeared to be bare skeleton.

[skyscraper2290]

1 minute ago, Tamberav said:

I would probably do an iodine dip, since the other hammers seem okay, my guess is it got damage somehow. 

 

I have had one come back from what appeared to be nothing. 

Thanks, I’ll give this a try tomorrow! 

[skyscraper2290]

Just performed a 15 minute iodine dip on the hammer, looks extremely pissed off right now but hopefully this will get it going in the right direction. Thanks everyone for your input so far! I’ll keep this updated if any changes happen.

[skyscraper2290]

Jus wanted to update this but the hammer unfortunately didn’t make it. After the dip more and more of what was left of the tissue slowly tore away from the skeleton. 

 

However the dip dip did help an acro that was showing STN and was able to stop it and now I’m seeing the best polyp extension it has shown yet.