Hammer Coral Receding?

TGamble · May 16, 2023

I’ve had this hammer for about 2 months now. When it arrived it looked great after acclimation and has looked open and happy since adding it to my 75 gallon tank. I’ve noticed that on the skeleton of the coral, part of the flesh has begun to recede into a ball of white flesh. I will attach pictures to clarify. It still opens fully and seems happy. Tank Parameters are good. I have not seen any fish picking on the coral and all of my other coral are unbothered and look good. Nothing has changed in the tank besides adding a purple dottyback since adding the coral.
Also, there are those little dots on the skeleton of the hammer. Is that a pest that I may not be aware of that is bothering the hammer? Thank you all for your input and advice!
Tank- 75 gallon- 2 1/2 years old
Temp-78
Salinity- 35 ppt
Nitrate 10 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Ammonia- 0 ppm
Mag- 1380 ppm
Calcium- 460
Alkality- 7.7 dKH
PH-8.3
Phosphate- 0.0

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

The "ball of white flesh" in the first picture is mesenterial filaments.

NoohpyT · May 16, 2023

could be splitting

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

NoohpyT said:
could be splitting

No

TGamble · May 16, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
The "ball of white flesh" in the first picture is mesenterial filaments.

Okay, is that something I should be concerned about then? I have iodine dip I used to dip them in when they arrived, would a dip in that be advised?

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

TGamble said:
Okay, is that something I should be concerned about then? I have iodine dip I used to dip them in when they arrived, would a dip in that be advised?

You can do a search here or online about it.

TGamble · May 16, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
You can do a search here or online about it.

well I have and there are many conflicting opinions that’s why I posted myself and asked again.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

https://tidalgardens.com/articles/coral-care-articles/coral-aggression-placement.html

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

https://reefbuilders.com/2017/10/09/some-corals-can-be-total-bullies/

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

Thread 'LPS Mesenterial Filaments?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lps-mesenterial-filaments.513102/

TGamble · May 16, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
https://reefbuilders.com/2017/10/09/some-corals-can-be-total-bullies/

Thank you for the articles. They still answer no questions for me. My hammer isn’t expelling the filaments from its mouth, it’s from the base of its head. Is this a sign of expansion as one articles stated? Or is it bad that I’m not seeing it from the mouth and from the base of its head instead?

shwareefer · May 16, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
The "ball of white flesh" in the first picture is mesenterial filaments.

Do you have another example of mesenterial filaments not coming out of the mouth?

TGamble · May 16, 2023

shwareefer said:
Do you have another example of mesenterial filaments not coming out of the mouth?

Right, I’m wondering why they would be coming from the base of the head instead of the mouth and why that might be happening.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

Again, all I'm doing is googling... You can do the same and find the same results.

Thread 'Euphyllia expert needed, What are these on my favorite coral?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/e...d-what-are-these-on-my-favorite-coral.395324/

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

Last one (pic "B")

https://www.researchgate.net/figure...ody-structure-of-E-ancora-A-E_fig11_230590146

Rugops · May 16, 2023

Is it possible if you could scape off one of them from the base? Its going to make it angry but its worth a shot. Some say that those oval things are actually the eggs of a flatworm or some sort of pest.

But I feel like it is the mesenterial filaments but I am just theorizing here.

TGamble · May 16, 2023

Rugops said:
Is it possible if you could scape off one of them from the base? Its going to make it angry but its worth a shot. Some say that those oval things are actually the eggs of a flatworm or some sort of pest.

But I feel like it is the mesenterial filaments

Right, I did try brushing it off with a toothbrush once but as soon as I touched the tissue the coral closed completely so I stopped as to not stress it any more. I also read about flatworms and eggs or such. I also read how people have this and it is nothing. Is it worth possibly harming my coral just to scrape the sack off?