Hamer acting strange, thoughts?

[Reefbuds]

Hello. I've had my hammer for about 6 months now. It's always been very happy and growing steadily. The past couple days it has not been opening fully and today one head is not out at all. I think it may be trying to grow a new head, would this make it not expand for a few days while it grows the new head out or whats?

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

water parameters?

 

[Reefbuds]

Ammonia and nitrite are 0ppm. Nitrate is a little high at about 5 or 7 ppm. 1.028 salinity. He has never reacted to the fluctuating nitrates like this before tho. I usually keep my salinity at 1.027 so that is kind of out of the norm for my reef

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

Alk cal and mag? Phos?
Salinity is high and due to that I am assuming alk cal and mag might be high as well.

 

[Reefbuds]

I have no way of testing those concentrations sadly. I have goniopora and frogspawn and the are happy, no signs of distress at all

 

[leahfiish]

I would definitely check your alkalinity and a
Calcium and lower your salinity. Did you change anything recently like flow or light, or add it change and filtration like gfo? Also do you have peppermint shrimp?

 

[Kershaw]

Some times critters can bother them. Or another coral touch it. I had a Duncan try and eat a sweeper tentacal. Because the were to close. About 8inchs apart
But ch, cal, mag would help

 

[Reefbuds]

OK I straightened my salinity out last night, I think it's too late for that head tho. I'm trying to figure out what went wrong so I can prevent further damage to something. I know my clown was playing with it last week trying to get away from my aggressive 6 line. For now the head in the front is still alive and well. How bad will this pollute my water?
Also, my frogspawn is about 8 to 9 inches down a rockface from the hammer and goniopora about 7 inches away. I don't see aggressive behavior but I've also never seen corals eat each other yet.
No peppermint shrimp and no filtration changes either.