Hammer Coral Receding Tissue

[testuser]

Hi All,

I have a hammer that all of a sudden in one day started to look like it was receding its tissue while the wave maker flow was on (lowest setting, only a gentle breeze and has been fine with it for over a month). However, with the wave maker flow off (which I do when the lights are off at night since it extends and would be too much for it and leave the regular flow pump on), it looks relatively normal?

One other detail that's changed is that my tank is going through the "ugly" phase with cyano on my macro algae, and brown algae on the sand.

I believe that my water chemistry is relatively in order to hopefully eliminate that issue:

Nitrates: 10
Phosphates: 0.03
Salinity: 1.026
Alkalinity: 8
Calcium: 400
Magnesium: 1320
pH: 8.15
Temperature: 79F

The only other recent change would be that I lowered the white light and kept my actinic lighting the same in order to stave off some of the algae bloom. But I didn't think that could cause such drastic and immediate tissue recession. White: 10%, Blue: 50%, NICREW 30W light.

I've attached pictures of both during flow and no flow at night for reference. Thoughts?

 

[Lps_lover12]

Check for flatworms as well as eggs on the hammer. Always a possibility when you randomly have tissue loss

 

[testuser]

Check for flatworms as well as eggs on the hammer. Always a possibility when you randomly have tissue loss

Good point! I'm terrible at identifying those things, but I don't think I hat I see any. I've attached a few pictures for those with the trained eye.

I do have feather dusters on it, but I don't believe that they've ever caused any harm to it before as they're normally just a filter feeder. I do however, now that you mention worms, have seen a lot of what I believe are infant-esque bristle worms along the glass of the tank. Not sure what to do about them, other than just selectively sucking them out and pitching them.

 

[His Coral Highness]

Ok so I am currently having the same issue and I also just noticed green flatworms, but didn’t realize they went after hammer corals… what is the next step?

 

[Lps_lover12]

Good point! I'm terrible at identifying those things, but I don't think I hat I see any. I've attached a few pictures for those with the trained eye.

I do have feather dusters on it, but I don't believe that they've ever caused any harm to it before as they're normally just a filter feeder. I do however, now that you mention worms, have seen a lot of what I believe are infant-esque bristle worms along the glass of the tank. Not sure what to do about them, other than just selectively sucking them out and pitching them.

I don’t see any but it is harder to see in pictures. Bristleworms won’t harm coral, at least I’ve never read about that, only fireworms. I hate bristleworms too and wish I could get rid of them but that’s near impossible so I just don’t look at my tank at night lol. I’m no expert and this does happen to me sometimes too and I can’t figure out why

 

[testuser]

I don’t see any but it is harder to see in pictures. Bristleworms won’t harm coral, at least I’ve never read about that, only fireworms. I hate bristleworms too and wish I could get rid of them but that’s near impossible so I just don’t look at my tank at night lol. I’m no expert and this does happen to me sometimes too and I can’t figure out why

Fair enough! Glad I'm not alone haha. Anything else I could consider, operating under the assumption that there are no flatworms? I'd also be kind of surprised if they appeared just now, seeing as it's been 3 months since I added this or any coral. Though, I have no idea how long the eggs take to hatch.

 

[Lps_lover12]

Fair enough! Glad I'm not alone haha. Anything else I could consider, operating under the assumption that there are no flatworms? I'd also be kind of surprised if they appeared just now, seeing as it's been 3 months since I added this or any coral. Though, I have no idea how long the eggs take to hatch.

I think the eggs hatch within 1-2 weeks but don’t quote me on that. Do you know what your par is at?

 

[testuser]

I think the eggs hatch within 1-2 weeks but don’t quote me on that. Do you know what your par is at?

I don't, but I figured having it pretty low with a relatively low wattage with no adverse effects for months, I thought I'd be in the clear.

The other thing I meant to mention was that this was a maricultured piece, and I had an acan echinata just go belly up one day randomly a couple of weeks ago as well. I figured it was just not feeling the tank (given that it was plucked by the online dealer from the ocean and thrown into my new tank).

 

[testuser]

Dam, both things of tissue are basically just lifting off of the body. It's crazy how quickly that's happening. It feels like this instantly became a gonner

 

[Dburr1014]

This is more than one day damage.
Why do you shut the flow off at night??

The Importance of Water Flow in Your Reef Aquarium

The circulation of water in a reef tank is what helps sustain it. Discover the importance of water flow in your reef aquarium and what it provides.

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Coral need that flow.

 

[testuser]

This is more than one day damage.
Why do you shut the flow off at night??

The Importance of Water Flow in Your Reef Aquarium

The circulation of water in a reef tank is what helps sustain it. Discover the importance of water flow in your reef aquarium and what it provides.

worldwidecorals.com

Coral need that flow.

It's a nano tank, so I already explained in the original post. Wave maker shuts off at night, not the flow. When the lights are off, the hammer over extends and the wave maker would rip it apart.

Put it this way, a month ago it was only the flow pump (which most nanos only have). This wave maker was an additional means for flow. I did not cut off all flow...

Are you saying that I should have the wave maker and the flow pump on 24/7? A wave maker on all the time at the lowest setting is super aggressive for such a small tank (4.8g).

 

[Dburr1014]

It's a nano tank, so I already explained in the original post. Wave maker shuts off at night, not the flow. When the lights are off, the hammer over extends and the wave maker would rip it apart.

Put it this way, a month ago it was only the flow pump (which most nanos only have). This wave maker was an additional means for flow. I did not cut off all flow...

Are you saying that I should have the wave maker and the flow pump on 24/7? A wave maker on all the time at the lowest setting is super aggressive for such a small tank (4.8g).

What pump is it?

 

[Dburr1014]

Can the pump be pointed at side panel? Pointing at a side panel keeps the flow up and disperses so there is no directional flow at one coral.
And yes, leave it on. They need the flow. They breath with that flow, they poop and eat with that flow.

 

[testuser]

Can the pump be pointed at side panel? Pointing at a side panel keeps the flow up and disperses so there is no directional flow at one coral.
And yes, leave it on. They need the flow. They breath with that flow, they poop and eat with that flow.

I have the Sicce Syncra pump. Most nano tank folks only have that vs a wave maker as well, no? Of course, the pump is left on 24/7.

 

[testuser]

Something had to of infected it... This is way too abrupt for it to be due to water chemistry, flow, or light. The head on the right was perfectly fine, responsive to feeding, etc. Today, it blue completely off. I have no clue what it could have gotten infected with...

 

[kevgib67]

It's a nano tank, so I already explained in the original post. Wave maker shuts off at night, not the flow. When the lights are off, the hammer over extends and the wave maker would rip it apart.

Put it this way, a month ago it was only the flow pump (which most nanos only have). This wave maker was an additional means for flow. I did not cut off all flow...

Are you saying that I should have the wave maker and the flow pump on 24/7? A wave maker on all the time at the lowest setting is super aggressive for such a small tank (4.8g).

Odd, my hammers, frogspawn and torches start to retract just before lights are off and stay retracted until lights come on. I leave the pump and wave maker on 24/7.

 

[testuser]

Odd, my hammers, frogspawn and torches start to retract just before lights are off and stay retracted until lights come on. I leave the pump and wave maker on 24/7.

Maybe this is the last time I'll buy clearance corals lol. Yeah, I'm not sure why they don't retract, but I can kind of understand why it would?

But isn't that wild though, they looked great 2 days ago and completely fell off today? I'm floored. The one that fell off today showed absolutely zero signs even this morning that it had tissue recession. It makes me think that something infected it.

 

[madelf87]

We have had that happen in the past to our hammers when our tank experienced a rapid alkalinity drop. Wouldn't hurt to do a couple serial tests over the next few days to see if it's dropping rapidly. Ours all recovered (some of the SPS didn't fare as well), but it can happen in the space of a day.

 

[testuser]

We have had that happen in the past to our hammers when our tank experienced a rapid alkalinity drop. Wouldn't hurt to do a couple serial tests over the next few days to see if it's dropping rapidly. Ours all recovered (some of the SPS didn't fare as well), but it can happen in the space of a day.

That's a fair thought. Though, I had been testing daily as it went down to 7.7, and I gradually raised it up a bit. It generally declines over the week and I would dose once or twice a week all while balancing the pH levels. I'll check again today and see, but I haven't caught any alkalinity dips yet in the tank.

 

[kevgib67]

Maybe this is the last time I'll buy clearance corals lol. Yeah, I'm not sure why they don't retract, but I can kind of understand why it would?

But isn't that wild though, they looked great 2 days ago and completely fell off today? I'm floored. The one that fell off today showed absolutely zero signs even this morning that it had tissue recession. It makes me think that something infected it.

Hey, we have all been there, keep doing what you’re doing, picking your self back up and learning from it. When I started in the mid 90’s it was all trial and error with good andbad advice from local lfs’s.