Help with sponge??? on hammer coral

[wiedlthewiz]

Please help me identify, or at minimum help me to figure out if this what I think is a sponge is good or bad and wether I need to remove that bad boy as soon as possible or let it be. Thank you so very much to anyone and everyone who offers any assistance at all.

 

[exnisstech]

Not sure if it's invasive or not but I would remove it. It looks to be getting pretty close to the flesh

 

[tbrown]

That sure looks like a sponge. Good or bad is usually difficult to determine but in this case, it will likely be harmful to the hammer as it continues to encrust it. I'd remove the sponge but also understand that it has the potential to release toxins as it dies.

 

[tbrown]

Are you running any carbon? That might be good to add to the filtration at least for a couple of days after removal if you're not already.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I've had sponges grow on corals before and it always turns out bad for the coral, I would remove it.