New Hammer Coral, Need Advice

[Magician8642]

its a green brancing hammer, only about 3inches out when fully expanded. kept close first day, then started to open up. now, few days later, the color is faded slightly, and it seems to be drouping, with the bare skeleton visible on top. any advice on how to make it happier. 120g wit refugium, zero nitrate and phosphates, ph calc, & alk all right on target, with 2X250 metal halide with 2 t5s, its n a lower water movement area about half way up tank. looking for advice on how to make it better

 

[shelaghfishface]

sounds like what happed to mine... im no expert by far but this is what i did
this is what it looked like

having lost the first one the very same way i had a bunch of pals come over and rush about helping me to save the second one.. this is what they did... it worked for me but of course you will have other advice,and you should use your sense as to what you should do

the hammer was removed from the tank and placed into a bowl of RO water ( unsalted) for about 5 mins( so that any parasites would wriggle out)...then a small quarartine tank of salted RO water, with a small powerhead,heate ( i had to microwave the water as i was in a hurry)r 11w lighting ( i did at the time have an issue with nitrates but they were all confident that this wasnt the cause)
after 3 days - i was delighted to see the hammer looking like this ( in Q)

it had indeed made a full recovery.. then i went up to scotland for 3 days.. came back to find someone had trurned off the heater by accident

so after all that i lost it anyway ( it was past saving when i got back and no one had noticed

)

like i said im no expert but the guys that helped me have over 50yrs between them experience..and as you can see it worked for me...well till i went away!

i think its a bit late now for the usual posters to be on.. but get as much advice as you can.. and i wish you all the best i was heartbroken when i lost mine, they are what i loved about marine.. what i wanted more than anything

shelagh xxx

i was also advised ( which i didnt do to use an iodine dip.. i didnt only as i didnt have any)

 

[seffieuk]

Unfortunatly it is more likely to be the stress of the move, particularly if the hammer was transported for some time. If you have Mh, move the hammer down to the sand bed in a calm area of flow, they dont like too bright a light.

If you suspect flat worms or the like, then do as Shelagh suggested - a few minutes in RO water but it is more likely to be shipping stress and once it starts it is almost impossible to stop

Is there any brown type jelly?

Seffie x

 

[shelaghfishface]

hope he/she at least read this

 

[Magician8642]

ok, thanx. yeah, there is no gell or any signs of tissue damage, and it was doing wonderful at the store for a long time, and my tank is pretty barren, so i will move it down and see how it goes. thanks for the advice! =)

 

[milkton]

my advice is to keep an eye out for the specific details ideal for the coral. i have a bubble coral which was once like how your hammer was, the main stuff like ammonia nitrite nitrate etc.. were good but then i started checking my salinity, calcium, hardness and such and matched it to the corals ideal water param. It has done well ever since.

another possibility is maybe the hammer coral u bought is like an elegance coral. in elegance corals, they can live in your tank for a day, a week, a month, a year, or 10 years and suddenly die for no apparant reason.

good luck