Did I Buy a Bleached Hammer?

[SFNanoReef]

Hi all,
I picked up these two hammer corals from my LFS during a fresh shipment—about 50 pieces still bagged, so they gave me their usual in-bag discount. I’ve done this with them plenty of times before without any issues.

The hammer on the right is a gold tip that’s already started splitting into four heads and looks great. The one on the left, though, wasn’t open when I picked it, so I couldn’t see the color at the time. Ever since it’s opened up in my tank, I’ve been wondering if it might be bleached.

It’s been about 2–3 weeks now, and it’s still a very pale color. The outer branches seem to have some gold tips, but overall it looks washed out compared to the other.

Do you think I ended up with a bleached hammer? Or could it just be a lighter morph?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

 

[chase240sx]

Hi all,
I picked up these two hammer corals from my LFS during a fresh shipment—about 50 pieces still bagged, so they gave me their usual in-bag discount. I’ve done this with them plenty of times before without any issues.

The hammer on the right is a gold tip that’s already started splitting into four heads and looks great. The one on the left, though, wasn’t open when I picked it, so I couldn’t see the color at the time. Ever since it’s opened up in my tank, I’ve been wondering if it might be bleached.

It’s been about 2–3 weeks now, and it’s still a very pale color. The outer branches seem to have some gold tips, but overall it looks washed out compared to the other.

Do you think I ended up with a bleached hammer? Or could it just be a lighter morph?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Hard to say without knowing any history of it, could be bleached, could be just the color of the hammer, just keep it healthy and let it grow if it is bleached the color may not return but any growing new heads may show you its true colors and you’ll have a for sure answer, sorry I can’t be more helpful

 

[SFNanoReef]

Hard to say without knowing any history of it, could be bleached, could be just the color of the hammer, just keep it healthy and let it grow if it is bleached the color may not return but any growing new heads may show you its true colors and you’ll have a for sure answer, sorry I can’t be more helpful

Appreciate the feedback. I agree, I won’t really know until a new head grows out. Overall, the coral is healthy.

The next day the LFS posted this pic which leads me to believe it might just be that color.

 

[chase240sx]

Appreciate the feedback. I agree, I won’t really know until a new head grows out. Overall, the coral is healthy.

The next day the LFS posted this pic which leads me to believe it might just be that color.

It’s not an uncommon color, also not a bad color and if that is the case it could add some nice contrast to your collection if you add more hammers! I have a torch garden and I love adding new colored pieces

 

[VintageReefer]

Looks like teal/mint hammer
In daylight it’s lighter and in blue light it glows mint/teal.

 

[VintageReefer]

Top middle - in whiter lighting it appears bleached

In more blues it’s a glowing color

Grew this out from 2 heads. Approx 10-15 in above pics. Currently over 30. This is how it’s always looked and how new growth is also

 

[SFNanoReef]

Top middle - in whiter lighting it appears bleached

In more blues it’s a glowing color

Grew this out from 2 heads. Approx 10-15 in above pics. Currently over 30. This is how it’s always looked and how new growth is also

Amazing!

After seeing your fully grown colony, I’m confident mine isn’t bleached either. It looks almost identical under both white and blue lighting.