Branching hammer or torch???

[gfrowen]

Hi,

first time on the forum so apologies in advance if this has been answered before or if I’m posting in the wrong place.

I’ve been having trouble getting what I was told was a torch coral to fully extend. After some target feeding the polyps have grown and thickened out. However, they’re still not extending. But looking at them more closely they almost look like hammer polyps. I have a wall hammer that’s much bigger and the polyps are starting to look similar.

picture is attached below.
Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

many thanks

 

[PeterC99]

Is it in a low flow area? Possible it’s getting too much flow?

What type of torch is it? How recently was it fraged?

 

[LeftyReefer]

looks like a hammer to me too.

 

[Jekyl]

Welcome to R2R! Can you list your parameters, tank age and lighting for us? On top of that a short video may help also.

 

[JGT]

Appears to be a hammer.

 

[MugenReef95]

yeh thats a branching hammer

 

[reefingaz]

Yep 100% it’s Hammer Time !

 

[Goaway]

Looks to me like a splatter hammer.

 

[gfrowen]

Hi, and thanks for the welcome.

This is my second tank which is 6 months old. It’s a 300l tank including the sump. I have a very simple sump setup (4 chambers). Overflow into the first, refugium with large chaeto and rubble in second with tunze eco chic lighting, return pump in 3rd and ATO reservoir in 4th.

I have 2 AI prime 16HD for lighting.

livestock:

1 very small Regal Tang
2 very small common clowns
1 starry blenny
3 algae hermit crabs
3 trochus snail
1 cleaner shrimp

1 wall hammer
1 acan
1 duncan
1 toadstool leather
1 what I now believe is a branching hammer not a torch


corals and fish are fed with mysis

perameters:

temp 25C
Salinity 34ppt using aquaforest reef salt
Nitrates undetectable (salifert)
Phosphate undetectable (Nyos)
Magnesium 1320 (aquaforest)
pH 7.9
Awaiting new Alkalinity test kit.

Tank has 2 returns with RFGthat provide decent flow and a Jecod SW2 wavemaker.

All corals (apart from the branching hammer) are currently on the sand bed as I only put them in about 6 weeks ago and still haven’t decided on placement. Branching hammer is just under middle of the tank (depth wise). Tank is 50cm deep with both AI primes 10 inches above the surface as suggested by BRS.

the coral in question isn’t getting blasted at all. Gently sways back and forth. All other corals look happy and open.

slight algae bloom in the sand bed and thinking I’m at the beginning of the ugly stage

hope this information is sufficient and I thank you all again in advance for all your advice and help.

 

[gfrowen]

Is it in a low flow area? Possible it’s getting too much flow?

What type of torch is it? How recently was it fraged?

Thanks for the reply.

It’s about 2 years old. Bought it as a very small frag from LFS. It was in a Small holding system for almost a year as I broke down my first tank prior to Covid with the intention of setting up my new one. So everything was put on hold.
That’s why I don’t think it has grown much at all. Was under average lighting (Zetlight) and wasn’t target fed.

since target feeding this over the last month it’s come on loads.

 

[Jekyl]

Nitrate and phosphate being undetectable could be your issue. Post alkalinity when you get it.

 

[gfrowen]

Nitrate and phosphate being undetectable could be your issue. Post alkalinity when you get it.

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I’ve been trying to raise them by feeding a lot more. Also reduced the lighting period on the refugium as well.

it’s looking much better since target feeding it and as it may well be a branching hammer and not a torch like other members have suggested I guess I’m not looking for it to have those longer polyps now ‍