What are these and are they killing my hammer?

[tstor]

What are these things on my hammer, and are they what's killing it?

3 days ago (the day after my water change) I woke up to my torch looking like this. Thought it might just be mad about the water change, so I gave it a couple days, but things have not improved. I thought these things were harmless feather dusters but now I'm not so sure?

Cal 410
Alk 8.5
N: 1ppm
P: 0.03ppm

Any thoughts? It's not a dead coral yet but it's getting there.

(I know algae is a problem in this tank, I'm working on tuning my cleanup crew to get it right)

 

[Bucs20fan]

Looks to be clove polyps growing on the skeleton. These grow considerably faster and are much hardier than a hammer coral. They will eventually kill the hammer. You can scrape them off/ superglue over them/ or kalk paste them with care to not get any on the flesh of the hammer.

 

[tstor]

Interesting! Do you think that's responsible for the hammer not opening?

 

[Dburr1014]

What are these things on my hammer, and are they what's killing it?

3 days ago (the day after my water change) I woke up to my torch looking like this. Thought it might just be mad about the water change, so I gave it a couple days, but things have not improved. I thought these things were harmless feather dusters but now I'm not so sure?

Cal 410
Alk 8.5
N: 1ppm
P: 0.03ppm
View attachment 3098542View attachment 3098543View attachment 3098544View attachment 3098545View attachment 3098546View attachment 3098547View attachment 3098548


Any thoughts? It's not a dead coral yet but it's getting there.

(I know algae is a problem in this tank, I'm working on tuning my cleanup crew to get it right)

Most likely the hair algae. You just noticed the cloves. The hammer looks to have been receding for some time.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Also, your coral may be starving...

 

[tstor]

Most likely the hair algae. You just noticed the cloves. The hammer looks to have been receding for some time.

It's was fully extended and pretty happy looking on Sunday, could it have been receding and just not showing it?

 

[tstor]

Also, your coral may be starving...

I've been working on getting nutrients up, and supplimenting with some reef roids until they're back at good levels.

 

[Dburr1014]

It's was fully extended and pretty happy looking on Sunday, could it have been receding and just not showing it?

Yes, the polyp can still extend while the flesh is receding.
Could take weeks before you notice something may be wrong.

 

[tstor]

Yes, the polyp can still extend while the flesh is receding.
Could take weeks before you notice something may be wrong.

View attachment 3098745

dang, so what do you think the chances are of saving it? Anything I can do?

 

[Dburr1014]

dang, so what do you think the chances are of saving it? Anything I can do?

Very good in saving it.
Need stable parameters, medium light, medium chaotic flow.
And keep the hair algae away. That will make it harder.