Coral health / advice

[kobe6710]

After a hydrogen peroxide dip due to a vermetid snail infection my hammer coral currently looks much healthier. However one branch looks dead and has a vermetid right in the center of it. The individual who gave this to me insisted the branch would grow back and not to cut it. Should I cut back the branch or leave it be and keep treating for the infection?

Secondly, I picked up a toadstool leather with no polyps extended from Petco to see if I could rescue it (I regret this now due to possible vermetid and flatworm introduction ). Polyps are extended and the stem has actually quadrupled in size, but the coral is consistently laying on the sand bed and I do see a feather duster in the stem (second picture). Should I cut the stem above where the feather duster is? Thank you in advance for any advice.

Nutrients are all within range except for phosphates.

Phosphate- 0.20
Nitrate- 0.5
Alkalinity- 9.6
pH- 7.8
Calcium- 440
Magnesium- 1380

 

[ElementReefer]

I would prune back both honestly. Cut the dead head off the hammer and cut the toadstool a couple inches down from the head and stick it somewhere securely in a rack with medium flow and light.

 

[ElementReefer]

And your nitrates should be 15 to 25 if your phosphate is 0.2

 

[kobe6710]

I would prune back both honestly. Cut the dead head off the hammer and cut the toadstool a couple inches down from the head and stick it somewhere securely in a rack with medium flow and light.

Okay thank you I will do that