Wall Hammer is sick
 

We are new to the hobby and have been successful for 1 year. We have a wall hammer that has been sick for about 4 weeks and is getting worse. We have checked the water regularly and have taken a sample to our local fish store. (LFS response “never seen water this clean”) Water Changes every 2-3 weeks. All coral has been ok & some great. New acropora frags lost their color but they are growing & zoas do better when we give them more light. The wall hammer has been in the tank for 7-8 months. It has always appeared healthy but has not had much growth. When this started, a small crab appeared to be chewing on it and it closed in that section. We caught it early and it looked like a few heads closed and had not actually been chewed off. Crab was relocated, but closure continued on that side and a couple of weeks later closure started on the other side The coral beauty has left it alone but the tang has poked at it a few times in the area that appears dead. We don't feed the coral often, but tried to feed 3 times over the last week. We tried moving it to the top of the tank but no change. Also, tried moving it to a quarantine tank in case things were attacking when we aren't watching, but it got worse. It is currently in a low to moderate flow area.

75 Gallon
1 year old
2 canister systems are running,
Protein skimmer
2 powerheads
Chinese Box Lights: 75% blue / 40-50% white for 8 hours.

Fish: 2 Clowns, Coral Beauty, Six-line Wrasse, Yellow Tang
Coral: branching hammer, torch coral, frogs spawn, Duncan, favia, brain, Xenia, acropora,
birds nest, misc zoas
A few small hermits, 1 emerald crab & snails.
Cleaner shrimp

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Alkalinity: 8
PH: 7.8
Phosphates: 4 ppb Hanna checker low rang
Calcium: 402
Magnesium: 1410
Salinity: 1.025
Test kits: API, salifert & Hanna checker

This is my 17 year old son’s tank and I am the messenger. He says the temperature in the tank can fluctuate throughout the day by 1 degree. He knows alk is a bit low and does dose. Mag is a bit high and he does not dose that. Ph a bit low, but said he has read not to add a buffer.

To Reef Central

Those numbers all are fine as is. I am not sure what is happening to your hammer coral. What has your son been feeding it?

Thank you for your reply. He only attempted to feed twice and he used Nano Reef Roids. At what point do we attempt to frag out a portion that is seemingly unaffected?

I might try fragging the coral now.

That version of Reef Roids is for filter feeders. Your coral might be adapted to a larger food size. I'd consider something like mysid shrimp, maybe cut up, or something along those lines. I'm not at all sure about what is happening to your coral, though. I'm not an expert on stony corals, by any means.

Thank you for your advice. We have that food on hand so we will try it tonight. Lfs told my son not to feed coral, so he has been reluctant. I was hoping you would tell us to give it a awhile on the fragging - bummer.

Well, I'm not an expert, by any means, so you could wait if you'd prefer. It's receded quite a bit, though. I would worry a bit about a disease or pest.

What test kit are you measuring NO3? If it truly is zero your hammer may be starving. You may need to dose KNO3 or feed more in order to raise your Nitrates.

In my experience, wall hammers go south when the temp is too low, the flow is too low, or the lights are too bright.

have you done an Iodine dip?

You could try Tunze's Care Bacter. One of the bacteria strains in it specifically targets vibrio and they claim reduces RTN and infections in corals.

I agree you need to target feed your gamer! Rods food is great for them have had luck with it, if the starts to look like any of these photos you have bigger issues! https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6bde249dc5.jpg that is from not feeding with in 2 week period and then something attacking it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wall hammer's are a difficult euphylila to keep they are very temperamental. Any sudden change and they will react. Any pest will start a infection that will kill the coral in short order.

I would frag it do a Iodine dip cross your fingers and hope for the best.

I agree very temperamental especially in the beginning until it gets established. I have a wall that did the same thing. wasted away until nothing was left. I left the skeleton in the tank. 5 month later it completely grew back. Kinda of amazing how resilient corals can be. Just continue to maintain goo water quality and don't give up on it

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Phosphates 4??? or 0.4?

Well the wall hammer did not make it and died Died in my quarantine tank. This post is old and I’m not sure how to remove it. But I was able to find a pice of it that had separate some time before I set the new tank up, and I happy to say it is doing well and I hope to have it as big as the original.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk